Michael Jackson

Exclusive Video: Michael Jackson's "This Is It" Movie Trailer

2009-09-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson 'This Is It' Trailer To Premiere During VMAs

2009-09-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Documentary preview will debut on MTV during the live broadcast, airing Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.

Though Michael Jackson is gone, the King of Pop will be front and center during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday. Not only will his sister Janet make a musical tribute to her brother with a special appearance to help open the show, but we can now reveal that viewers will get their first look at the MJ documentary "This Is It" during the live broadcast, when the trailer premieres on MTV.

Drawn from more than 100 hours of behind-the-scenes footage and produced with the full support of Jackson's family, "This Is It" chronicles the last three months of the superstar's life as he sought to stage a series of 50 sold-out comeback concerts at London's O2 arena. The documentary shows MJ developing the show and rehearsing a number of songs during his final days. "This Is It" is directed by Kenny Ortega, Jackson's creative partner and the director of the planned O2 stage show. Sony Pictures plans to release the film in theaters for a limited two-week engagement, starting on October 28.

MTV will also exclusively premiere an extended trailer for another hotly anticipated fall movie, "New Moon," the second installment of the "Twilight" vampire franchise. Stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner will be on hand to debut the footage. "New Moon" co-star Ashley Greene will also be at the show, serving as MTV News' fashion correspondent on the red carpet during the preshow, which airs at 8 p.m. ET.

The VMAs will be hosted for the second year in a row by British comedian Russell Brand. The evening's performers include Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Green Day, Pink, Taylor Swift and Muse. Katy Perry, Ne-Yo, Nelly Furtado, Chace Crawford, Leighton Meester and Miranda Cosgrove are set to present awards.

Poster released for Michael Jackson's concert film This Is It

2009-09-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

Promotional material made available today for the Michael Jackson documentary This Is It shows a composite of colourful images of the singer rehearsing for his comeback tour, superimposed on a full-size image of the star in a familiar pose. It includes the tagline: "Michael Jackson's This Is It. Like you've never seen him before."

1. Movie: This Is It
2. Production year: 2009
3. Country: USA
4. Directors: Kenny Ortega
5. Cast: Michael Jackson
6. More on this film

This Is It, directed by Jackson's creative partner and tour co-ordinator, Kenny Ortega, will be released for a limited two-week period. Billed as a rare, behind-the-scenes portrait of the singer, the film will chronicle the period from April to June 2009, during which Jackson was rehearsing for his proposed 50-date O2 Arena stint, due to begin in July.

Ortega, who has also directed the High School Musical films, said: It's a very private, exclusive look into a creative genius's world. This Is It may go down as the greatest concert that no-one got a chance to see, but with this film, we get a rare portrait of Michael as he prepares for his final curtain call and what I believe was going to be his master work."

The PG-rated film will make its debut on 28 October, with tickets going on sale almost a month earlier, on 27 September. It's release date was jointly negotiated between promoters AEG Live and Columbia Pictures, with 80% of the profit going to Jackson's children, according to reports.

In Pics:King of Pop Michael Jackson Burial

2009-09-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's Children Pay Respects to Father

2009-09-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's three children were in attendance at tonight's funeral service for their father. Prince Michael, Paris, and "Blanket" joined family and friends in tribute to Jackson.

Jackson's children began the service by placing a bejeweled crown on top of their father's casket, the Associated Press reports.

Attendees were given a program to commemorate the life of their dear friend, father, brother, and son. The King of Pop was buried tonight at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California more than two months after his untimely death.

Exclusive: Program from Michael Jackson's Burial

2009-09-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

Only ET can show you the program from Michael Jackson's private burial service.

Jackson will be laid to rest Thursday night in a sunset service.

Keep checking back throughout the day for more.

-- ET ONLINE

Thousands Of Fans Celebrate Michael Jackson’s 51st B-Day In New York

2009-08-31T02:15:00.000-07:00

Despite rain, fans of the late Michael Jackson came out -- in the thousands -- to celebrate what would've been his 51st birthday in New York on Saturday (August 29) to remember one of music's greatest talents ever.

Organized by filmmaker Spike Lee, the celebration in Prospect Park had thousands of fans dancing in the rain, all while decked out in MJ gear.

From white gloves and fedoras, to memorial t-shirts and buttons, it was like the late King of Pop was alive and well.

"51 years ago, he was born into the world," Lee said, according to New York's Daily News. "I'm like everybody else -- somebody who loved his talent. We're here to celebrate Michael Jackson."

While attendees danced, DJs played Jackson's music -- spanning over his 30-plus year career, from his early stuff with the Jackson Five to his final tracks.

Lee even had a birthday cake made -- a giant white birthday cake that read "Happy Birthday Michael Jackson" in red frosting. Balloons floated in the sky as well.

According to the Associated Press, the event was originally planned as "a block-party-style gathering for 2,000 in Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park," but was relocated to Prospect Park to accommodate a bigger crowd.

"I've been into Michael Jackson since I was 1 year old," one 39-year-old fan, who wore a silver sequin glove on one hand, told the Daily News. "I've always, always celebrated his birthday."

"I don't even remember life without him," actor Tracy Morgan said at Saturday's party. "Michael Jackson was everything."

"Happy birthday, Michael!" another fan yelled. "I wasn't able to go to one of his concerts, but I'll always remember this concert."

Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest just over two months ago after his doctor, Conrad Murray, gave him a lethal drug cocktail at his rented Bel Air estate in June.

The death was ruled a homicide last week.

Google Logo Remembers Michael Jackson’s Birthday

2009-08-31T02:12:00.000-07:00

Google’s August 29th logo notes Michael Jackson’s birthday. google-jackson-logo

Google has commemorated birthdays of many famous people and events, such as Luciano Pavarotti, Lego, and Dr. Seuss.

500 Brits Wish Michael Jackson a Happy Birthday

2009-08-29T13:12:00.001-07:00

A group of well-choreographed Michael Jackson fans -- about 500 to be exact -- gathered in Leicester, U.K. to wish Michael Jackson a happy 51st birthday by re-enacting his famous "Thriller" video.

According to the group, they think they've set some sort of world record.

Spike Lee Hosts Massive Michael Jackson B-Day Celebration

2009-08-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

Dancing Michael Jackson fans reportedly numbering in the thousands filled up a New York park where director Spike Lee hosted a ceremonial birthday bash for the late King of Pop, who would have turned 51 on Saturday.

The party-goers danced beneath a shower of rain in Brooklyn's Prospect Park as a DJ spun Jackson's classic songs, says the Associated Press.

"I was just like everyone else. I loved his talent," Lee said.

Known for films such as 'Do the Right Thing' and 'Inside Man,' Lee also directed Jackson's music video for "They Don't Care About Us."

Michael Jackson Lives on at Madame Tussauds

2009-08-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson gained immortality Thursday at the world-famous Madame Tussauds in Hollywood. Read on for details…

A wax figure of the King of Pop was unveiled to pomp and circumstance, just two days before what would have been his 51st birthday, and we was there!

The museum turned the occasion into a big celebration, with a DJ spinning the Grammy winner's timeless tunes and Jackson imitators strutting their stuff, including a Moonwalk demonstration.

Crafted in London and shipped to the States under tight security, the wax figure's price tag is said to be $300,000.

Jackson Family Reacts to Autopsy Results

2009-08-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's family is opening up to ET with their reaction to the late star's autopsy results released on Friday.

"The Jackson family again wishes to commend the actions of the Coroner, the LAPD and other law enforcement agencies, and looks forward to the day that justice can be served," the family's statement to ET says.

Keep checking back here for the latest.

LAPD: Michael Jackson Death Investigation Is Ongoing

2009-08-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

The LAPD tells that the investigation into Michael Jackson's death is continuing, following the L.A. County Coroner's announcement about the cause and nature of Jackson's demise.

The LAPD, which describes itself as the "primary investigative agency" responsible for the death investigation, tells ET the investigation is "ongoing and will result in the case being presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney for filing consideration."

The LAPD adds that the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) and BNE (Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement) have launched their own independent investigations into findings the LAPD's investigation uncovered that "may not be directly related to [Jackson's] cause of death."

Keep checking back here for the latest Michael Jackson news.

Michael Jackson Death Ruled Homicide, Cause of Death Announced

2009-08-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles County Coroner has announced the cause of death for Michael Jackson and revealed that his death was ruled a homicide.

The announcement indicates that the King of Pop died of "acute Propofol intoxication" and "other conditions contributing to death: Benzodiazepine effect." Benzodiazepine is a sedative-hypnotic.

"The drugs Propofol and Lorazepam were found to be the primary drugs responsible for Mr. Jackson's death. Other drugs detected were: Midazolam, Diazepam, Lidocaine and Ephedrine," the announcement goes on to state.

Jackson passed away on June 25 at age 50 after he was found unresponsive in his bedroom.

Keep checking back here for all the latest on Michael Jackson death investigation.

Jackson Doc Reaches Out to President Obama

2009-08-26T03:15:00.000-07:00

One of the doctors assisting the LAPD in Michael Jackson's death investigation has fired off a letter to President Barack Obama. The topic: To make it tougher for people to obtain "controlled medication."

In the letter, Dr. Susan Essien Etok -- the doc who claims Michael offered her £500,000 to supply him with drugs -- urges the President to consider "harsher punitive measures" for "unethical Doctors" who are willing to hand out strong drugs to anyone with the right amount of money.

Etok also says "no individual Doctor is responsible for Michael's death," then compares the singer's passing to that of Elvis Presley, Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith -- all of whom died with drug cocktails in their system.

-- Staff, TMZ

Dr. Conrad Murray Responds to Jackson Homicide Claim

2009-08-25T13:00:00.001-07:00

The attorney for Dr. Conrad Murray is responding to the Houston search warrant affidavit released today as well as the news that a source claimed that Michael Jackson's death will be ruled a homicide.

In a statement to ET, Murray's attorney, Edward Chernoff, says, "Much of what was in the search warrant affidavit is factual. However, unfortunately, much is police theory. Most egregiously, the timeline reported by law enforcement was not obtained through interviews with Dr. Murray, as was implied by the affidavit. Dr. Murray simply never told investigators that he found Michael Jackson at 11:00 am not breathing. He also never said that he waited a mere ten minutes before leaving to make several phone calls. In fact, Dr. Murray never said that he left Michael Jackson's room to make phone calls at all.

"We will not comment on the 'anonymous' law enforcement source that claims that Michael Jackson's death will be ruled a homicide. Most of the reports by 'anonymous' sources have been proven wrong. We will be happy to address the Coroner's report when it is officially released."

Stay tuned for the latest on this developing story…

Jackson Family Responds to Reported Homicide Charge

2009-08-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

We has obtained a statement from the Jackson family in response to reports that Michael Jackson's death has been ruled a homicide, according to a source. Read on for details…

The statement reads: "The Jackson family has full confidence in the legal process, and commends the ongoing efforts of the L.A. County Coroner, the L.A. District Attorney and the L.A. Police Department. The family looks forward to the day that justice can be served."

Katherine Jackson's attorney, L. Londell McMillan, also tells ET, "This report reaffirms the very sad reality that there was a tragic and gross violation of duty and care for Michael Jackson. There is obvious legal culpability which has been the concern of Michael's mother, family and fans worldwide."

The Associated Press reports that a law enforcement official told them that the Los Angeles County Coroner said a fatal combination of drugs, including Propofol, was given to the King of Pop hours before he passed on June 25.

Stay tuned for the latest in this developing story…

Document: Michael Jackson Died of Lethal Dose of Propofo

2009-08-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson died from a lethal dose of propofol, officials say in a search warrant.

In a search warrant affidavit unsealed today in Houston, TX, a report from the L.A. County coroner's officials indicated that they found a lethal dose of the drug in his system.

The search warrant details how Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, administered drugs to the fallen pop star. According to the document, he told LAPD detectives that he had been treating the singer for insomnia and had been giving Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol every night using an intravenous line, but worried the singer was forming an addiction and tried to wean him off the drug.

On the morning of Jackson's death, Murray tried to induce sleep without using propofol, according to the affidavit. Murray said, according to the document, that he gave Jackson valium at 1:30 a.m., but it didn't work. According to the affidavit, Murray later injected lorazepam intravenously at 2 a.m. and administered midazolam at 3 a.m..

Murray continued to give him drugs over the next few hours, the warrant says. According to the document, the doctor claims that Jackson continued to demand propofol, which he administered at 10:40 a.m. -- and when he next checked in, Jackson was not breathing.

Michael Jackson Set to Be Buried September 3rd

2009-08-21T13:24:00.001-07:00

We can confirm that Michael Jackson will be buried at 7 p.m. on September 3.

He will be interred at Holly Terrace in the Great Mausoleum at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA. The King of Pop was originally to be buried on what was to be his 51st birthday, Saturday, August 29.

Keep checking back here for more details on Jackson's burial.

Michael Jackson planned 50ft robot for Las Vegas residency

2009-08-20T11:29:00.001-07:00

According to reports, the late singer wanted a giant Jackson robot to roam the Nevada desert as an advertisement for a 2005 comeback that never was.

Years before Michael Jackson agreed to a 50-date residency at London's O2 Arena, the singer was considering a similar run of shows in Las Vegas. According to reports this week, Jackson was working with artists not just on costumes, sets and an accompanying hotel – but on a gigantic Michael Jackson robot roaming the Nevada desert.

Plans for the Las Vegas concerts began in October 2005, just months after the King of Pop was acquitted on child-molestation charges. Fashion designer André van Pier, a long-time friend of both Jackson and Princess Diana, led the work. According to PageSix, his costume designs included "space-age", solar-powered fabric that changed colour in reaction to stage lights.

The team's sci-fi ambitions didn't stop there. Van Pier, partner Michael Luckman and artist Timothy Patterson made plans for a towering Michael Jackson robot, 50ft high and visible from Las Vegas's McCarran airport. The robot would wander in the desert as an advertisement for Jackson's show. "Michael's looked at the sketches and liked them," Luckman told the New York Daily News in 2007.

Funding, however, was a problem. Fresh from his controversial trial, Jackson had trouble securing investors. Though he met with moguls including casino owner Steve Wynne, "he just couldn't raise enough money," Luckman told MTV News.

Eventually, Jackson and his team scaled down their grand ambitions. Instead of a roaming robot, they conceived of a Jackson-themed hotel and casino – with an android at the entrance. "Michael really liked the initial designs and wanted to use them somehow," Luckman said. Patterson described the looming techno-Michael that would have dominated the hotel's proposed facade: "The face would move, shooting laser-beam-looking lights. The whole building would be covered with spotlights."

Money, however, continued to be a problem. Jackson, who had been living in Nevada, moved away. Van Pier died in August 2008, and finally Jackson announced the London concerts in March 2009 – scuppering plans for a Las Vegas run. Though Luckman, Patterson and Jackson were scheduled to have a meeting in November, Jackson died in June.

There are currently no public plans to build the hotel, casino, or the lonely, moonwalking, robot.

MJ's Final Resting Place -- No Visitors, Please

2009-08-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

If you're planning on going to Michael Jackson's burial site at Forest Lawn Memorial Park and dropping off some flowers, think again -- the mausoleum where he's being buried on August 29 isn't open to the public.

The Great Mausoleum -- where stars like Clark Gable and Jean Harlow were laid to rest -- is considered a private area, where only property owners and family members are allowed to go. It's monitored by security cameras to catch any trespassers who snoop around.

Graceland, it is not.

Jackson Bros to Carry the Casket One More Time

2009-08-18T13:10:00.001-07:00

Randy Jackson just confirmed to TMZ that he and his brothers will serve as pallbearers at Michael Jackson's burial service.

Here's the message we just received straight from Randy -- " I will be there ... and yes the brothers will carry him from the hearse to the front of the mausoleum."

Randy, his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon were the pallbearers at the Staples Center Memorial last month.

Now, the family is preparing for the private burial which is set to take place August 29 at Glendale Forest Lawn -- on what would have been Michael's 51st birthday.

Update: Michael Jackson Burial Details

2009-08-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

We has the latest on when Michael Jackson will be buried.

A family spokesperson confirms that Jackson will be buried on what was to be his 51st birthday, August 29. The singer will be buried at Holly Terrace in the Grand Mausoleum at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA, on Saturday, August 29 at 10 AM.

The burial will be a private ceremony, which will be limited to close friends and family.

Michael Jackson Set for Birthday Burial; Usher, Osmonds Plan Vegas Tribute

2009-08-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

Weird? A little. Cyclical? Definitely. Appropriately mythology-building? As if you would expect anything less from the Jacksons.

A source close to the Jackson family confirmed to E! News that Michael Jackson will be finally be laid to rest in Los Angeles' Forest Lawn Cemetery on Aug. 29 at 10 a.m., more than two months after his death and on what would have been his 51st birthday.

Never one to go small, the source added that Jackson's burial will indeed be fit for a king, as rather than a traditional burial, his body will instead be interred in a specially-built mausoleum on the cemetery's grounds.

(So much for an unmarked grave—announcing the exact date, time and location of his burial, to say nothing of what will no doubt be a less than humble tomb, more or less renders any privacy concerns moot.)

All the Jackson family members are expected to be in attendance for the service, which will precede yet another posthumous honor for the King of Pop.

After the service, both Joe Jackson and La Toya Jackson will be heading to Las Vegas, where Joe has already retaken to his life, to accept a star from the Brenden Theatre at the Palms Resort and Casino in Michael's honor.

After the presentation, a tribute concert is scheduled to take place.

"Usher, Donny and Marie, and Wayne Newton are some of the celebrities that are coming to perform at the concert," a source told E! News.

Other celebrities—presumably some who have nothing to do with Dancing With the Stars—are also expected to attend, and will be announced tomorrow.

As it happens, the star and concert may only be the start of Sin City-based Jackson tributes.

The proposal being worked on between Jackson's estate, concert promoters AEG and Colony Capital to move Neverland to Vegas as a Graceland-style attraction is still on the table, sources tell E! News.

While unofficial (and often unsought) family spokesman Papa Joe this morning denied to the New York Daily News that Neverland would be making the trek to Nevada, he doesn't actually have a say in the matter—that privilege lies with the estate, and the estate alone.

Meanwhile, as for matters slightly more within his purview, Jackson also spoke out, somewhat surprisingly, in support of Dr. Conrad Murray, for whom things continue to look, well, not good.

Jackson said he supports the Los Angeles Police Department's cross-state investigation into his son's death, but worries that Murray may turn into "the fall guy for a whole lot of people."

As for Katherine Jackson, whom Joe told the NYDN was taking her son's death hard and frequently bursts into tears over the loss of Michael, her attorneys will be back in court this morning to hash out more plans for his estate.

The judge is expected to rule today on merchandising that could potentially be generated by the estate, and may sign off on several pending million-dollar deals to license and merchandise products connected to the King of Pop.

Michael Jackson body 'moved to freezer'

2009-08-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

The body of Michael Jackson has been moved to a freezer locker, it has been claimed.

According to the New York Post, the late singer's body was moved to the basement of the Freedom Mausoleum at the Forest Lawn Cemetery after officials warned that its security could be at risk.

The decision was reportedly made by Michael's mother Katherine, who feared that the body could be stolen or desecrated if it was buried in an unmarked grave.

Katherine is said to regularly visit the fibreglass container, which is kept in a bare brick room at low temperatures.

A family source said: "She cries and says she's sorry and that she loves him."

It was previously reported that all of Jackson's remains had been interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park after toxicology tests on his body were completed, but Katherine is said to have called off the burial.

Michael Jackson to be buried on birthday, King of Pop's father says

2009-08-17T02:53:00.000-07:00

The King of Pop will finally be laid to rest. Or so says his dad.

Michael Jackson will be buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. on Aug. 29 on what would have been the King of Pop's 51st birthday, Joe Jackson told Steve Friess, the Daily News' man in Las Vegas.

The elder Jackson indicated that the burial plans had been made final just in the past few days. He discussed the burial over ribs and jalapeño corn bread at the poolside Simon at Palms Place at the Palms hotel and casino.

With him was the stunningly beautiful Crystal Marven, a singer he has signed to his new record label, and her mother.

The elder Jackson says he will return to Vegas after his son is buried that Saturday to receive a celebrity star in the singer's honor at the Brenden Theatres, a cinema at the Palms that Michael Jackson and his children frequented. The Brenden will also screen the 1988 film "Moonwalker" that day.

Papa Jackson said he is supportive of the Los Angeles Police Department probe into his son's June 25 death so far - but also said that cops may be making Dr. Conrad Murray "the fall guy for a whole lot of people."

He did not elaborate. Murray was Michael Jackson's personal doctor and with him the day he died. Murray's lawyer has confirmed the Vegas-based doc is being investigated for administering the anesthetic Propofol and possibly other drugs. He denies wrongdoing.

A Vegas pharmacy was searched Aug. 11 for evidence Murray sought Propofol there.

Meanwhile, Joe Jackson, who lives separately from the singer's mom, Katherine, says she's taken Michael's death particularly hard, and frequently bursts out in tears.

Jackson said he had tried to see his son in the months before his death, but "the security guards wouldn't let me get to him."

He also dismissed talk that the Neverland mansion would be moved to Las Vegas as his daughter, La Toya Jackson, told reporters last week.

"How would they do that?" Jackson asked.

Michael Jackson Dead An Hour Before Medics Arrived

2009-08-17T02:52:00.001-07:00

The controversy surrounding the death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson is still the hot topic in Hollywood.

The latest theory coming out of California is that the singer was dead more than an hour before paramedics arrived at his rented home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles.

Reports obtained by a British newspaper stated that when the medical crew arrived at Jackson's home, the singer had stopped breathing, had no pulse and that his heart was not beating.

The report goes on to state that Jackson's body was also showing clear signs of lividity (meaning the blood had flowed to the bottom of his body after the heart stops) indicating he had died at least an hour before help arrived.

Dr Conrad Murray, Jackson's doctor at the time, claimed he tried resuscitating the singer and that he showed signs of response but according to the ambulance report made that day, Jackson was non responsive when the medical team arrived.

Dr Murray, who is being questioned in connection to Jackson's death and has been named in court papers as the subject of a manslaughter investigation, apparently gave the pop icon propofol, a powerful anesthetic usually used in hospitals under strict regulations the night before the singer was found dead.

The Los Angeles Times, citing three unnamed sources claims Dr Murray, who was to closely supervise Jackson after the drug was administered, left the singer's bedroom to make several calls before returning to find the singer in distress.

An autopsy of Jackson's body was performed, however the results as to the cause of his death have been sealed.

Michael Jackson TV tribute could reach 1 billion viewers, organizer claims

2009-08-12T03:02:00.000-07:00

An Austrian promoter Tuesday outlined plans for a televised Michael Jackson tribute next month that he and co-organizer Jermaine Jackson, the pop star's brother, predict will attract more than 1 billion viewers around the world, no matter how dreadful it is.

Oops, did we say that? Please forgive our immediate skepticism over someone proclaiming lofty goals for a show that, as yet, has not booked a single entertainer, other than Jermaine Jackson.

Promoter Georg Kindel, of World Awards Media GmbH, said Tuesday the tribute will take in late September (a specific date hasn't been selected yet), on the grounds of a 17th-century palace in Vienna. He said negotiations are ongoing with TV networks to broadcast the three-hour show, while Jermaine Jackson is assembling the lineup of about 10 "of the biggest artists of our time."

"I don't even know myself" who will take the stage, Kindel said enthusiastically, seemingly unaware that this is not necessarily a good thing. Reports in Austrian newspapers and media outlets say Madonna, U2, Lionel Richie and Whitney Houston are among those who might perform at the tribute at Schoenbrunn Palace. None of those acts have confirmed any involvement with the show. Tickets for the event are scheduled to go on sale Aug. 20.

Kindel said the show also will feature family members and unidentified Hollywood stars reminiscing as images and video clips of Jackson are screened.

"It will be about Michael

Jackson the man and the humanitarian," he said, adding that a "significant portion" of the proceeds will benefit several charities, including the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, which helps patients who can't afford heart surgery.

haven't we suffered enough?: Not that we would suspect for even a teensy weensy second that La Toya Jackson would attempt to use her brother's death to scratch and claw her way back into the public spotlight, but Us Weekly magazine reports the singer/actress is in talks to join "Dancing With the Stars" next season.

"She's a big fan of the show, and being from a musical family, it would be a good fit," her rep told the magazine. Officials at ABC, which carries the show, have not commented on the report.

Michael Jackson "Not Buried Yet," Says Father Joe

2009-08-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

Just in case you weren't certain, Michael Jackson is "not buried yet."

Shooting down published reports (and backing up what we reported yesterday), father Joe Jackson tells E! News exclusively that his son has not already been laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Joe declined to specify any burial plans or confirm whether his son's body has been placed in Motown maven Berry Gordy's crypt as some outlets have speculated.

The Jackson patriarch, who resides primarily in Las Vegas, also tells E! News he supports a proposal to move Neverland to Vegas.

"I think Vegas would be great," says Joe. And while he doesn't think the family would visit such a shrine to his son, Joe does believe "the fans would come."

Asked about Michael's ongoing death investigation, Joe says he prefers not to discuss it, only adding, "I still can't believe he's gone."

Pharmacy Searched in Regards to Michael Jackson's Death Investigation

2009-08-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

As the death investigation of Michael Jackson continues, we confirms that law enforcement officials are searching a Las Vegas pharmacy.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is assisting the Los Angeles Police department in a notice of inspection, following a state search warrant that was issued to the Applied Pharmacy Services, the DEA tells ET.

Last month, Jackson's former personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, had his Las Vegas home searched by the DEA, LAPD and Vegas law enforcement.

Keep checking for more details into the death investigation of the King of Pop...

MJ ‘called out for dad on the night he died’

2009-08-11T12:10:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson cried out for his father on the night he died, according to reports.

The King of Pop, who died June 25 after a suspected cardiac arrest, wanted to see dad Joe Jackson desperately as he firmly believed that his aides weren't managing his finances well and wanted to cancel his 50 comeback shows in London.

MJ’s biographer Ian Halperin has mentioned a phone call that Jackson took in the early hours of the day he died.

"He got in a shouting match about finances. That was when Michael said he was calling off the tour. He said some advisers didn''t care about his welfare. I''ve been told he was crying,” Contactmusic quoted Halperin as saying.

"He demanded an aide call his father. He said his father was the only person who could ''clean up the mess,'' " he added.

Halperin has also claimed that the 50-year-old star spent his final 12 hours writing frightening poetry while in a drug-induced breakdown at the Los Angeles mansion he had been staying at.

Jackson is said to have been given the anaesthetic Propofol and painkiller Demerol on the day of his death.

"He was as high as a kite. What he wrote was dark, sort of frightening. The poems were found, hanging in his room on strings. He was over the edge.... Michael was cracking up. He had been injecting himself for over 12 hours, he said for excruciating pain. He begged to see his father but was told they couldn''t get hold of him.... If Joe Jackson had seen him that night, I believe Michael would still be alive," Halperin said.

Halperin has alleged that Jackson ordered his physician Dr. Conrad Murray to give him drugs to "put him out" when he was not allowed to see his father.

Michael Jackson Autopsy Update

2009-08-11T03:16:00.000-07:00

We has learned the latest details about the release of the King of Pop's autopsy results. Read on for details...

The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner has released the following statement to ET:

"The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner has completed its investigation into the death of Mr. Michael Jackson. The investigation was thorough and comprehensive. The Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate the events and related circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Jackson.

"To maintain the integrity of its ongoing investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department has requested a continuance of the existing 'Security Hold' on all Department of Coroner documents related to the Jackson investigation. Further, the Los Angeles Police Department has requested that the autopsy findings regarding the cause and manner of death remain confidential. In accordance with this request, the Department of Coroner will not comment on its completed investigation."

We confirmed that the King of Pop was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles. Jackson passed away June 25 at the age of 50.

Michael Jackson Film Approved by Judge

2009-08-11T03:15:00.001-07:00

A Los Angeles judge reportedly approved a major movie deal Monday morning, featuring the footage of Michael Jackson's final rehearsals for his planned London comeback tour, titled "This is It."

The deal was made between Michael's estate, the tour's concert promoter AEG Live and Sony Pictures. Proceeds the Estate earns from the film will go towards the Michael Jackson Family Trust, which Jackson specified in his will is to receive all of his assets.

Katherine Jackson, mother to Michael and guardian over his three children, was allowed by the judge to look over the contract and make objections, according to AP. The judge also ruled that Katherine must adhere to all confidentiality clause's in the AEG contract.

In addition to the rehearsal footage, the film may include videos created for Michael's concerts. The King of Pop passed away on June 25. He was 50.

Royal Send Off: Michael Jackson Tribute Planned for Vienna

2009-08-11T03:07:00.000-07:00

A major concert is in the works for the King of Pop to take place in Vienna, according to a report.

The Jackson family is working with the events promoter World Awards Media GmbH for a tribute concert that would feature a "high-profile lineup of international stars," the Associated Press confirmed.

Tickets will go on sale August 20 and the event is said to take place at Vienna's former Schoenbrunn Palace, where an outdoor stage shaped like a crown is to be built.

"For one incredible night Michael Jackson's unforgettable music will be brought to life again," World Awards Media said, according to AP. "Some of the world's leading artists will perform Michael's greatest hits live in Vienna in front of one of the most fascinating historical sites in Europe and celebrate the life of the King of Pop."

According to AP, Jermaine Jackson says Vienna was a special place for Michael who loved castles.

Keep checking for more on this tribute concert…

Michael Jackson to Be Laid to Rest 'Very Soon'

2009-08-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson reportedly will be buried 'very soon' at Forest Lawn near his grandmother.

A new update regarding Michael Jackson's burial has just emerged, claiming the late music superstar will be laid to rest "very soon" now that investigators have returned samples from his body to the Jacksons following a series of medical test to determine the cause of his sudden death. An unnamed source close to the family informs the matter to People, while another source chimes in, "Forest Lawn is the top choice - near Michael Jackson's grandmother."

As of the press time, no official statement has been made by the Jacksons on whether or not the report is true. Notwithstanding the not-yet confirmed burial plans, it is believed that Michael's family will have to get together for his burial arrangements.

Michael Jackson passed away on June 25 after suffering from cardiac arrest. The cause of his death hasn't been determined. Last week, there were Internet reports claiming the late King of Pop will be buried at Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills.

Jacksons Looking to Make a Federal Case Out of Michael's Death

2009-08-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

Could there be any more acronyms involved in the Michael Jackson investigation?

E! News has learned that the pop icon's family has reached out to a longtime friend—who also happens to be a California congresswoman—for help in bringing the FBI into the investigatory mix.

According to a source close to the family, Joe, Randy and La Toya Jackson and their pal Leonard Rowe met Wednesday with Rep. Diane Watson to entreat her to pull some strings.

And Watson was apparently moved enough to contact the FBI, and federal agents have agreed to meet with the Jacksons.

"[Watson] is assisting the Jacksons to get the FBI to help the investigation and make sure the law enforcement people stay on top of it," the source said. This would be a "separate investigation" to further probe the family's theory that foul play was involved.

A spokeswoman for the FBI's Los Angeles office tells E! News that, at this point, the investigation into Jackson's death belongs solely to the LAPD, DEA and L.A. County Coroner's Office.

Jackson's private doctor, cardiologist Conrad Murray, is the subject of manslaughter investigation, and the artist's autopsy results have been delayed indefinitely while authorities try to get their ducks in a row.

Watson's office did not return a request for comment.

But as the weeks since Jackson's death turn into months, it's not surprising that his family is anxious for more answers. Or that people are willing to believe the worst until proven otherwise.

-- Natalie Finn and Ashley Fultz, EONLINE

Michael Jackson, Egyptian Princess

2009-08-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

Is the King of Pop the reincarnation of King Tut? Not exactly. But according to reports, there is an ancient Egyptian statue at Chicago's Field Museum that bears an uncanny resemblance to Michael Jackson, right down to the botched nose job. To make Jackson's old-school spittin' image even weirder, it's actually the likeness of a woman. (And no, we don't think it looks like Diana Ross!)

"I have no idea whether Jackson ever visited the museum," a Field representative said. "But the similarity between the limestone statue of a woman—which is about 3,000 years old—and Jackson is astounding."

No Third Autopsy for "Sliced and Diced" Jackson

2009-08-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

The third time—much like the first and second—will not be the charm for Michael Jackson's autopsy.

A Jackson family source tell E! News that despite a recent spate of reports claiming that Mama Katherine is so convinced of foul play in her son's death that she wants the King of Pop's body to go under the scalpel yet again, "there is neither a plan nor a need for another autopsy."

But it's not just that another autopsy is unplanned and potentially unnecessary. It may also be unfeasible, thanks to the current state of the star's already worked-over remains.

The source said that all tissues and samples needed, which include his brain, were already removed and that Jackson's body is currently embalmed and more or less "a shell" of little or no forensic value.

But whether or not Katherine's alleged paranoia is warranted, Los Angeles Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Paul Gliniecki says a third autopsy is not.

In fact, Gliniecki even goes as far as to say another autopsy "would be totally pointless," particularly because of the detail that likely went into the first (the results of which are still pending).

"Especially in a high-profile case like this [the first autopsy] was probably done very well," he tells E! News.

Still, if the family demanded it, tests—albeit meaningless ones—could be done.

"We can still run tests, but the toxicology results are compromised because they replace blood with embalming fluids. It changes the chemistry.

"During an autopsy, everything is sliced and diced…everything mixes together. Even a second autopsy is compromised."

Bad news for the Jackson family, but good news for conspiracy theorists.

Meanwhile, in other Jackson developments, Rolling Stone reports that estate lawyers are gearing up to send formal requests to sister La Toya to retrieve computer hard drives she lifted from her brother's home in the wake of his death.

According to Frank DiLeo, the late singer's manager, more than 100 songs recorded but never released by Jackson were housed on the hard drives, with the potentially lucrative tunes spanning the decades. Per DiLeo, some of the songs were recorded circa Jackson's peak Bad and Thriller days, while others were much recent and the result of collaborations with will.i.am, Akon and NeYo.

The lawyers want to retrieve the hard drives so their contents can be properly logged.

-- Gina Serpe, Ken Baker and Whitney English - EONLINE

Did Michael Jackson Inject Himself with Demerol

2009-08-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

Did Michael Jackson inject himself with a deadly shot of Demerol? ET special correspondent Diane Dimond has the latest from the ET Newsdesk on the wild new rumors…

"An unconfirmed source tells ET that Michael may have awakened from his induced sleep sometime in the middle of the night -- and with no one around to help him -- injected himself with a deadly shot of Demerol," says Diane about the narcotic pain reliever and the King of Pop's final hours.

"Once the toxicology report is released we'll finally have answers," she concludes.

Inside the Private Lives of Michael Jackson's Kids

2009-08-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

It's been more than a month since Michael Jackson passed away and now we're finding out how the late entertainer's three kids are coping.

Prince, Paris and Blanket have been spending time at Hayvenhurst, the Jackson family home in the Los Angeles area. People magazine editor Anne Marie Cruz tells ET about what life is like now for the kids.

"The kids are actually very comfortable at Hayvenhurst," she says. "They've gotten along really well with all their cousins and they're having a great time. A typical day for the kids is getting up early and running around the grounds with their dogs Jackson and Kenya and later they go to the pool and play Pictionary with their cousins."

Cruz says that the fact that they are surrounded by family helps.

"At Hayvenhurst the kids feel really safe to express their emotions because everyone in that house lost an important person," she says. "So if they want to cry, they can go ahead and cry."

But Cruz says that Jackson's oldest son Prince, has been mourning quietly.

"Prince doesn't really talk about Michael," she says. "He really kind of keeps his pain to himself."

For more on this story, watch tonight's ET.

-- ET

Michael Jackson's Brother Jermaine's New Mission

2009-08-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine is now speaking out in a new blog about his late brother and his newfound mission to carry on the entertainer's legacy.

"The tragedy of my brother's death is still with me. But in his death, I have found a mission for my life. My existence is now dedicated to spreading Michael's message. Michael had a unique place in the world. He not only did good, but taught others how to do the same. This only magnifies his loss to the world.

"I want to make people aware of the humanitarian side of Michael. I want to show them how his true emphasis wasn't music, or performing; it was improving the world. Understand this, and you begin to understand the essence of who my brother was.

"Michael wanted to help people see the problems that are destroying our world. That's what he was about, and what his upcoming shows were about. He was trying to teach through his lyrics, video and performance. He wanted to use every part of himself to show us what we are capable of becoming. His goal was to demonstrate to people that if we all just try to make world a better place, it will be.

"Michael did charity work all his life -- since we first started performing as the Jackson 5. He quickly learned talent alone means nothing -- it's what you do with it that really matters. What are you doing to make things better for other people? In grasping this, Michael found his purpose: Entertain and educate at the same time.

"Michael grew to understand why the world is in the state it is. He would ask "Why?" but not get trapped in trying to find reasons for each and every problem. His aim was finding solutions. His message was about solutions. Michael's day-to-day thought process was: 'How do I make the world a better place?' He dedicated his existence to responding to this question, and to giving a voice to those who can't speak out for themselves.

"'Man in the Mirror', 'We are the World', 'Will You Be There' -- all these songs put forward a simple but powerful message: If someone is hungry, give them food, but also help them become self-sufficient. Michael taught us that when you do good, you start with the individual, then move onto a family, a neighborhood, a village, a nation.

"Michael always looked for the good in people, but he also wanted people to understand him, and what he was here for. This made the ridicule he endured so much harder to bear. How can someone who gave so much, be the subject of so much hate? Why is it, the more blessed we are, the tougher our times are destined to be?

"My brother wasn't a threat to anyone. He was at peace, and his peaceful state was a blessing from God. Michael was given the rare talent to entertain, sing and perform. But the true blessing God gave him was the ability to use his talents to do good for others. Michael's songs inspired us to do better. That was his true gift."

"We still feel Michael's loss. But what will happen as time passes? What will happen to Michael's real purpose for being? Who can carry on Michael's work selflessly, without ulterior motive? Nations and governments are capable of good deeds, but those good deeds are too often done to exert control over others. Michael never wanted to control anybody, he only wanted to spread happiness and joy.

"Michael supported over 30 different charities. Most people, even the most generous, focus their efforts on just a handful. But Michael was different. He would personally check every charity he supported. He'd examine their track records and make sure they did what they said they would do.

"Michael's generosity extended beyond the charities he supported. When a girl needed a liver transplant and no one wanted to pay for it, Michael took care of it. No fanfare, no publicity. There are so many cases like this! Many of them, I myself, am just beginning to learn about.

"Every time Michael traveled to another country, he would devote time to visiting hospitals, orphanages, cancer patients. That was his calling. In every corner of the globe, this was his routine. The world needs to know this is who he was. Because while there were always cameras following him, the media didn't tell the story of his caring and compassion. They only wanted to sensationalize him.

"Michael didn't care if we knew everything he did for people, because God knows. God knows his intentions, and knows the results. I know my brother is in a very secure, serene, peaceful place. When we live on earth, we are judged not only by who we are, but also by what we do for others. When we leave, we take the good and bad deeds with us. Michael took nothing but good deeds with him.

"Michael and I were raised to believe there is a Supreme Being. Having success told us God had a plan for us. Michael used his success in a positive way. He knew that it's not what you get from others, it's what you do for others. We all achieve things in life, but the greatest achievement is doing God's work. Michael was a man of God because he was doing His work. Eternal life is the ultimate reward from God -- and Michael has eternal life."

For more with Jermaine, watch him on "Larry King Live" Friday on CNN.

Just In: Michael Jackson Burial News

2009-08-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

More than a month after his death, plans are underway for Michael Jackson's final resting place.

We has learned from a source that Michael Jackson's family has signed papers that clear the way for the late singer to be buried at Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills.

Keep checking here for all of the latest Jackson news.

Michael Jackson, Omer Bhatti Share Father-Son Moment

2009-08-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a good Jet Ski ride with their dad?

Perhaps that's what Omer Bhatti was thinking as he zoomed around the water with Michael Jackson.

Good Morning America obtained video of the star with his possible love child—yes, the one Joe Jackson claimed as his grandchild—during a 1997 visit to South Africa. Not only did they enjoy a few Fedora-friendly rides on that trip, but the King of Pop introduced the now 25-year-old aspiring rapper to Nelson Mandela.

Despite the bonding, former Michael associate Marc Schaffel told the morning show the star explicitly said Bhatti was not his offspring.

"Michael had told me very specifically to my face—and I have no reason to believe he was lying to me at the time—that that story was not true," he said.

Paternity test, anyone?

Inside Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett's Lives

2009-08-03T12:55:00.001-07:00

The special new issue of Vanity Fair features two separate covers and delves into the lives of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, two icons who both died on June 25. Inside the mag, revealing early interviews with Michael shed light on his metamorphosis from Jackson Five child star to the King of Pop. Plus, Ryan O'Neal opens up about his tumultuous relationship with longtime love Farrah.

In the issue's MJ piece, contributing editor Lisa Robinson excerpts her notes and interview tapes with the late music icon from 1972 and 1989. Highlights include the results of a questionnaire that Robinson says Michael filled out at age 18, in which he reportedly wrote that his father Joe and "experience" gave him the most help career-wise; and that he wanted to wed "later in life" and have "20" kids, "adopted" of "all races."

Meanwhile, in the issue's candid Ryan O'Neal interview, the actor tells the mag: "I wish I could do it over with [Farrah]. I would have been much kinder, more understanding, more mature. I'd lose some of the savagery. I don't know how she got cancer; maybe some of it was me."

Ryan, who dated Farrah off and on starting in the '80s, adds that he felt the late beauty "had a stubborn streak of pride and righteousness," and they would argue over "anything and everything," including their son Redmond, who they started fighting about "by the time he was three."

For more details, check out the September issue of Vanity Fair, which arrives on newsstands in New York and Los Angeles on August 5 and nationally August 11.

Katherine Jackson Named Permanent Guardian of Son's Kids

2009-08-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

Katherine Jackson was named permanent guardian of her son's three children, after a hearing in a Los Angeles courtroom Monday morning -- ET has details regarding the family's allowances.

The court ruled that the allowances for Katherine and Jackson's children will be sealed. The court will revisit Katherine's allowance in six months.

The allowance for Jackson's kids will be eighty-three percent of what was requested.

Keep checking as more details surface from the hearing...

Katherine Jackson Breaks Her Silence

2009-08-03T12:53:00.001-07:00

In the first interview since her son's death, Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, is speaking out about the loss of her son and the rumors surrounding her family.

In a phone interview that aired on Sunday Night's "Geraldo at Large" on the Fox News Channel, the 79-year-old shot down rumors that her husband, Joe Jackson, is banned from seeing the grandchildren, and banned from the Jackson home.

"I don't know why they're saying he's not being allowed in the house," Katherine says. "My husband's never done nothing of the sort that they trying to say he did 39 years ago. I don't understand that, and I just believe it's something that they cooked up."

When asked if Joe was a good grandfather she replied, "Of course he is. And the children will tell you that he is."

Katherine also spoke out on the accusations and pending investigation surrounding Dr. Conrad Murray in relation to her son's death.

"All I know is that my son is dead, and I don't think he just died of natural causes or whatever," she says. "He's too young for that. Something happened, I don't know what it was and I can't say."

The mother of nine was reluctant to talk at length about her three grandchildren, Prince Michael, Paris Michael, Prince Michael II (Blanket), but she did tell the talk show host, "The children are doing fine."

La Toya Jackson: Michael ‘Will Always Be In My Dreams!’

2009-08-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson’s sister La Toya has penned a heartfelt tribute to her late brother.

In a blog post on her official Web site titled, “Mike, you will always be in my dreams!” the star wrote directly to the King of Pop, who died on June 25.

“Michael, after 50 years of waiting, God has finally called you home to do what you do best,” she began. “He shared your extraordinary talent with us all for many decades and now it’s time for you to spread your wings to a much higher level, which of course I know you will do, and join the other angels and give them an incredible eternal performance.”

La Toya, who released a single dedicated to Michael, “Home,” earlier this week, hoped that he would “keep the angels smiling, Joker!”

“I love you deeply and I can’t wait to see you perform again!” she added. “Mike, you will always be in my dreams! I LOVE YOU SO VERY! VERY! VERY! VERY! MUCH!”

Earlier this week, La Toya spoke out again, releasing a statement praising a planned Las Vegas tribute concert to Michael, to be held on his birthday, August 29.

“On behalf of my entire family, I wish you great success with your event,” she wrote.

Reports Say Michael Jackson May Have Died Earlier Than Farrah Fawcett

2009-08-01T02:04:00.000-07:00

Two entertainment icons died on Thursday, June 25, but which one died first -- Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett? ET special correspondent Diane Dimond has the latest on new developments in the King of Pop saga.

Farrah's death was reported early in the day, following her passing at 9:28 a.m.; MJ's not until later than afternoon, after he had been taken to the hospital around 1:30 p.m. But had he already been dead for hours? Sources say that the Gloved One could have flatlined as early as 8:30 a.m.

"Now, reports say that Michael Jackson's last few hours were spent, not in his own master bedroom, but in Dr. [Conrad] Murray's bed, where he is said to have routinely taken his nightly dose of Propofol," Dimond says. "Both law enforcement and paramedic sources say they found an IV stand, an empty IV bag and oxygen tanks in Dr. Murray's bedroom."

So what happened next? There are new rumors today that there may be evidence of a coverup. Did someone clean out Jackson's Holmby Hills home of drugs?

"Sources have told us that on the day Michael Jackson died, an African American man with a beard was seen taking trash bags from Michael's rented home. Inside were prescription notepads from two different doctors -- and loads of prescription drug bottles with fictitious names. We've learned there could be video of this happening -- and any video -- along with the bags of medical items are now in the hands of the D.A."

Dr. Murray remains at the center of the investigation as reports have speculated that the doctor may have put Michael on an IV drip of Propofol and then fallen asleep. That is when Jackson could have died. Now, ET reveals secrets from the search warrant.

"These search warrant papers officially declare Michael Jackson a drug addict," Dimond says. "Police sources are telling me they believe Jackson passed away with a cocktail of drugs in his system and died after a final injection of the powerful anesthesia Propofol. The warrants mention the laws they suspect were broken in this case as: 'prescribing to an addict,' 'treating an addict' and 'manslaughter.'"

News that Jackson's autopsy results have been delayed indefinitely may be because Jackson's drug connection is reportedly being traced to at least 12 doctors.

"Included in the list: A Las Vegas dentist, a Beverly Hills anesthesiologist and the New York ear, nose and throat specialist who is reported to have conducted the physical exam Jackson needed so concert promoters could get insurance coverage on his comeback tour in London," Dimond says.

-- ET

For all the latest news on the Michael Jackson investigation, keep checking back here.

Michael Jackson Autopsy Results Release 'Indefinitely Delayed'

2009-08-01T02:03:00.001-07:00

A representative for the Los Angeles County Coroner tells ET that the release of the results of Michael Jackson's autopsy will be delayed indefinitely.

The rep says that more investigating needs to be done before the results will be released. The decision to indefinitely delay release of the results was made after a roundtable discussion was held Thursday between the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner, the Los Angeles Police Department and the District Attorney's office. The meeting discussed the status of the investigation into Jackson's death, and the rep for the coroner's office tells ET that the District Attorney's office will likely play a large role going forward in the investigation.

When asked if other doctors besides Dr. Conrad Murray could be investigated, the coroner's rep said that the investigation is ongoing.

Dr. Conrad Murray Search Warrants Call Jackson an 'Addict'

2009-08-01T02:00:00.000-07:00

We has obtained the search warrants served Tuesday at the Las Vegas home of Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, which reveal that investigators believe that Jackson was an addict. Read on for details...

In the documents obtained by ET, investigators say they were seeking evidence supporting a manslaughter charge and a medical infraction of "prescribing to an addict."

The warrants, filed in court Thursday, indicate that investigators were seeking evidence about the sale and shipment of propofol, an anesthetic.

Keep checking back here for the latest on this developing story.

MJ's dream - moonwalk on the moon

2009-07-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

Pop legend Michael Jackson was in advanced talks with a space scientist in a desperate bid to do his famous moonwalk on the moon before he died, says his friend.

The singer wanted to beat his rivals into space by actually making it first to the moon to do his famous dance move in a $1.97 billion project, reported newsoftheworld.co.uk .

"He wanted to be the first pop star in space so badly. He had to be first. He knew it wouldn't only be history-making, it would be history-shattering," said Jackson's close friend Uri Geller.

"It was unbelievable the determination he had. It was a burning desire to walk on the moon," he added.

But the plan was thwarted after Jackson was arrested and charged with child molestation, spiralling him into a world of depression and drug abuse that meant he was unfit for space travel.

Jackson died June 25 in his Los Angeles home.

Michael's Mom Gets Custody of Kids; Debbie Rowe Gets Visits, No Cash

2009-07-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Debbie Rowe's attorney has confirmed a custody deal has been brokered between her and Katherine Jackson, seconding the family's claim that money never entered into their negotiations.

"The parties engaged in a dignified discussion that resulted in a dignified outcome," Eric George said. "The sole consideration between the parties was the best interests of the children.

"I'm proud to have worked with such professionals who represented Ms. Jackson, and I am particularly proud of Deborah for her integrity and selflessness."

Jackson's attorneys echoed the sentiments.

"Mrs. Jackson and the family are pleased this matter is resolved and was handled in a caring, thoughtful and courteous manner by the parties and their representatives," L. Londell McMillan and Diane Goodman said.

"We were all united in our goals to do what is best for Michael's wonderful children, and both Mrs. Jackson and Debbie Rowe were on the exact same page. Accordingly, although important issues had to be resolved, this was no legal contest, but rather simply a process doing the right thing for the right reasons."
________

The kids will be growing up Jackson.

Averting a potentially ugly custody battle, Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe have reached a deal, keeping the King of Pop's three children in the care of the Jackson clan.

Katherine Jackson's attorney, L. Londell McMillan, made the announcement this morning on CBS' Early Show, revealing that after several weeks of negotiations, Rowe (the biological mom of 12-year-old Prince Michael and 11-year-old Paris) agreed to terms that will give the 79-year-old Jackson matriarch full custody in exchange for visitation rights.

McMillian also insisted that Rowe, 50, would not be receiving any financial windfall as part of her decision to give up her parental rights and not challenge the custody arrangement in court.

"It's an agreement...for the best interests of the children. This is not a money deal. There's no situation better for these children than to be raised and reared under the care of Mrs. Jackson," the lawyer said.

The resolution makes good on Jackson's final wishes as stipulated in his will that his mother raise the kids, which includes 7-year-old Prince Michael II (aka "Blanket"), who was born via artificial insemination and whose mother's identity remains unknown. A judge is expected to sign off on the arrangement during a court hearing Monday.

Katherine, with help from eldest daughter Rebbie, has been taking care of the children in the family's Encino, Calif., compound.

Report: Michael Jackson May Have Died Earlier Than We Have Been Told

2009-07-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

We earlier reported that the Los Angeles Coroners Office is working to reveal Michael Jackson's toxicology results sometime next week, possibly on Wednesday. Now ET special correspondent Diane Dimond has the latest!

"Two different police sources tell me that the toxicology report is complete enough that they now know what killed Michael Jackson," Dimond says. "That knowledge is guiding the investigators as they try put a case together."

Dimond goes on to say that, according to her sources, Dr. Conrad Murray is the primary target of the investigation and criminal charges are likely to be filed.

"But I'm told there is a bigger-picture investigation that goes beyond the doctors you've heard about. It now includes hospital workers who may have been the source of all that Propofol," Dimond says.

"Insiders I've spoken with also say the Jackson family now realizes the awful grip drugs had on Michael's life. They are devastated, moved to tears, over the forensics -- collapsed veins, needle marks all over his body. Their beloved son and brother had, according to a close family source, 'so many prescription drugs in his system' ... and, again, according to this source, Michael Jackson died a lot earlier than we have been told. He may have been dead as early as 8:30 a.m. ... four hours before paramedics were called."

Omer Bhatti Was Michael’s Lovechild - Joe Jackson

2009-07-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Would someone slip a muzzle on Joe Jackson already?

In a joint interview with NewsOne/TVOne, 80-year-old Jackson Family patriarch Joe Jackson reveals that rumors of a “Secret Michael Jackson Lovechild” are true. That’s right, folks. According to Papa Joe, Michael fathered 25-year-old Norweigan dancer/rapper Omer “Obee” Bhatti after a one-night stand with the boy’s mother, Pia Bhatti, in 1983.

Omer first sparked public speculation that he was MJ’s son after he was photographed sitting with The Jackson Family at the singer’s public memorial in Los Angeles earlier this month.

Why is this old man allowed to walk the streets without medication? Michael adored children. If he thought this boy was his biological son, why would he not publicly acknowledge that at some point?

Futhermore, Omer recently confirmed that Michael was not his father — even adding that he and his parents met the King of Pop while he was vacationing in Norway in 1996. Smitten with the talented young Michael Jackson impersonator, Michael took Omer and his family under his wing; he once employed Omer’s mom as a nanny and his dad as a driver.

Nutritionist: Jackson "Didn't Want to Eat Food"...Fried Chicken, Juice and Trail Mix Excepted

2009-07-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

Move over, Atkins. Step aside, Master Cleanse. We are proud to present the Michael Jackson diet.

Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about the months leading up to the King of Pop's death, out pops former Jackson nutritionist Cherilyn Lee—who, luckily for us, never met a camera she didn't like—to shed some light on the question that's really plaguing the minds of the music legend's fans: Forget the toxicology report. Forget the multiple home raids. What, oh what, did M.J. like to eat?

Take it away, Lee.

"He loved trail mix," she told E! News. "And once a month he had to have fried chicken."

The odd smattering of snack and junk food aside, Lee said Jackson generally subsisted on what was more or less a liquid, juice-based diet. Or at least he did up until she parted ways with the singer in April, at which point he apparently moved on to more substantial fare.

Like granola.

Lee said she first joined forces with Jackson back in January, after a mutual friend asked her to drop in on the pop star's home when one of his children came down with the flu. She quickly took Jackson himself on as a patient.

"He said, 'Well, you know I'm feeling tired,' " she recalled. "'I'm getting ready for the concerts. I would love to have as much energy as possible, so what can I do with my diet and nutrition?' "

Lee quickly put him on a diet of juice and smoothies "to meet the needs of a couple things that were slightly out of bounds" for the singer.

As for why the nutritionist didn't opt for more of a solid meal plan, she said Jackson preferred his meals in liquid form.

"His whole thing was that he didn't really want to eat food."

He did, however, love his "caffeine-laced drinks," which Lee said added to his problem with low blood sugar. And while Jackson may have been food-averse himself, she denies he was underweight or that his preferences ever affected the children.

"They had structure," she said. "They sat down and had dinner together at night. Even though he'd say a lot of times, 'I'm not hungry,' this is what he wanted to do. He was a prime example of a very good father."

Not such a good patient, though.

Lee said it was around April that Jackson began having problems sleeping and started asking her for Diprivan, which she refused him, despite his persistent requests.

"What he tried to reassure me was that 'I will be safe...I will be safe just as long as someone monitors me.'

"He said, 'I'm tired of taking things to try to help me to sleep and I want to go to sleep right away. I don't want to wait for hours. I want to be knocked out.' Those were his words: 'I want to be knocked out and go to sleep.'"

Latest: Michael Jackson Autopsy Results Delayed

2009-07-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office says the autopsy results of Michael Jackson will be delayed, according to a new report.

Citing Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter, the Associated Press reports that although the results were expected to be released this week, they are likely going to come in sometime next week.

Early Tuesday, law enforcement officials raided the Las Vegas home of Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. The doctor -- who was with Michael Jackson on the day he died -- is the subject of an investigation.

Keep checking back here for the latest on this developing story.

New Details: Michael Jackson's Final Hours

2009-07-29T12:51:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson's personal chef Kai Chase has spoken out about the day King of Pop died. Was Jackson dead for hours before anyone discovered he wasn't breathing? Jackson insider Diane Dimond talks about what may have happened before that 911 call was made at 12:21 p.m. on June 25.

"Police sources are telling me they're trying to figure out whether Michael Jackson was already dead when paramedics arrived," Dimond tells ET. "And now the inside account from chef Kai Chase is an important part of the timeline for police. Chase is now publicly saying that she first noticed something was wrong that morning when Dr. Conrad Murray broke routine ... and didn't come downstairs first thing to get Michael's granola and juices."

In Chase's new interview with the Associated Press, she paints a timeline of Michael's final hours, saying that around 9 or 9:30 p.m., Dr. Conrad Murray usually arrived and would go upstairs to Jackson's bedroom. Kai told the AP that at 12:05 p.m., Dr. Murray called the family for help, asking for Michael's son Prince.

"Early that morning -- a full three hours before anyone called 911 -- Dr. Murray is reported to have called his Houston office," Diane says. "Two staffers there were dispatched to Murray's storage site where they removed boxes. What exactly was in those boxes? No one's saying."

Michael Jackson's Personal Chef Speaks Out on Day of Jackson's Death

2009-07-29T04:42:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's personal chef, Kai Chase, opens up about the events that occurred at Jackson's home on June 25, the day of the King of Pop's death.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Chase says that she knew something was wrong that morning because Dr. Conrad Murray did not come downstairs to get the juice and granola he usually brought to Jackson for breakfast.

The 37-year-old chef tells the AP she had gotten used to seeing Murray coming and going at the house, and that he usually arrived around 9 or 9:30 p.m. and would stay at the house over night.

Chase also said she would sometimes see the doctor coming down the stairs with oxygen tanks, but never asked about them, and did not think that Jackson appeared to be on drugs or in poor health.

In the interview, Chase describes what she remembers from the day of Jackson's death.

"I started preparing the lunch and then I looked at my cell phone and it was noon," she says. "About 12:05 or 12:10 Dr. Murray runs down the steps and screams, 'Go get Prince!' He's screaming very loud. I run into the den where the kids are playing. Prince (Jackson's oldest son) runs to meet Dr. Murray and from that point on you could feel the energy in the house change."

She goes on to explain that she saw paramedics running up the stairs, and that Jackson's daughter Paris was crying. She says that security guards informed her at around 1:30 p.m. that her and the other staff needed to leave the house because Jackson was being taken to the hospital.

Jackson's chef was originally hired by the late King of Pop in March, but was let go shortly after in May. She was asked to come back in June to help Jackson prepare for his London tour.

Chase tells the AP that she was asked to accompany Jackson in London for his "This is It" tour, and she had completed all the appropriate paperwork and was preparing to leave for London on July 3.

Michael Jackson “died three times” in the 18 months before he passed away

2009-07-29T04:29:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson reportedly put his life in danger several times before his ultimate death on June 25 from a suspected cardiac arrest. It has even been claimed Michael enjoyed the sensation of having his heart re-started.

A source told National Enquirer magazine: “I know there were at least three instances in the last 18 months where Michael literally died before either doctors or bodyguards were able to bring him back.

“I’ve heard there were at least two instances in 2008 and both involved prescription drugs. One time they had to pump his stomach and another time do CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Once, after doctors finally managed to wake him up, Michael said he had died and gone to heaven, and it felt good.

“Michael said it was the most exhilarating experience of his life, to have seen how things looked on the other side, then come back to Earth again. I’m told there was another time earlier this year when he appeared to flatline. In each incident, his heart stopped.”

Although the events leading up to Michael’s death remain unclear, there has been intense speculation he was misusing prescription drugs at the time of his passing.

According to reports, police are focusing their investigation on the 50-year-old singer’s use of the anaesthetic Propofol, which is used to put patients to sleep before surgery.

Michael Jackson fans call for Nobel peace prize nomination

2009-07-28T04:48:00.001-07:00

Fans have launched an online petition to nominate the King of Pop for a posthumous award. There's just one small problem – he's ineligble

More than 15,000 people have signed petitions proposing Michael Jackson for the Nobel peace prize. Fans have taken to the web, hoping to encourage people to nominate the King of Pop for a posthumous award.

The first of the petitions was started by Norwegian fan Ola Hunnestad. Launched in April 2007, the petition has gained considerable momentum since Jackson's death on 25 June. Thousands more have backed the initiative of Los Angeles student Anneliese Nichole Brown, who two weeks ago drafted a letter to the Nobel prize committee.

"Michael's message for humankind has always been rooted in compassion and kindness," Brown wrote. "He has succeeded in a lifelong dedication to the well-being of humanity. Moving beyond all political, social and economic borders, Michael Jackson consistently spread a positive message of global unity, healing and love."

Unfortunately, Nobel prize nominees are not selected by a Swedish committee, nor by popular vote. Instead, they are chosen by a large group of international officials, professors and former winners. It is these Nobel officials that Brown and Hunnestad hope to win over.

In 2006, Hunnestad tried a different approach, writing letters to "highly ranked people such as Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Kofi Annan" and, er, "the United Nations". "We mentioned Michael's charity work and humanitarian efforts, and asked them if they were interested in nominating Michael for a lifetime achievement as a great humanitarian. Unfortunately, we didn't succeed in getting Michael nominated, but Kofi Annan and the United Nations were kind enough to send a nice reply back."

Previous musical Nobel nominees include Bono (for peace) and Bob Dylan (for literature). Neither have won.

However, there is one more obstacle facing a Jackson nomination: he's – how to put this? – ineligible. Though prizes can be awarded to those who die after they are nominated, only living persons are able to make the Nobel shortlist.

Quick – someone start a petition to change the rule!

Michael Jackson Honored With Sand Sculpture In Berlin

2009-07-28T04:46:00.000-07:00

There have been no shortage of tributes to Michael Jackson since the singer's death several weeks ago. Many singers and rappers have released songs and saluted the legend's memory in performance, which seem like appropriate responses to a man who did so much to change music. But some people express themselves differently, which is where the Germans come in. A shopping mall in Berlin is currently hosting a sand sculpture that acts as a tribute to Michael. It tracks the various stages of his career, from his Jackson 5 days to the Thriller years to the over-the-top HIStory era.

The centerpiece is Michael's form — dressed in what appears to be his Dangerous era military garb — towering triumphantly above the rest of the piece. The structure consists of 200 tons (that's tons — a total of 400,000 pounds) of sand and took a grand total of ten days to put together. It's a shockingly intricate development, with artwork from various album covers and Jackson-related imagery mixed in with the forms of Michael and his brothers. Also included in the sculpture: A sign declaring Jackson as "The King of Pop" and at least one image of Bubbles the Chimp. Like many of the Jackson memorials set up since the singer's death, the sand sculpture has become a hub for fans who want to leave remembrances and mementos of the singer's life and career.

Michael Jackson's Doctor Gave Him Propofol Before Death, Source Says

2009-07-28T04:41:00.000-07:00

Dr. Conrad Murray was revealed last week as the subject of a manslaughter investigation.

Michael Jackson's personal doctor administered the drug that authorities believe killed the pop star, a law-enforcement source told The Associated Press on Monday (July 27).

The law-enforcement official, close to the investigation, said Dr. Conrad Murray gave the anesthetic Propofol to Jackson the night before his death. The singer had reportedly been receiving the powerful drug to help him sleep.

Propofol is a short-acting, intravenous, nonbarbituate sedative typically used for the induction of anesthesia and sedation in medical contexts. Typically used in a hospital or clinic, it is rarely allowed outside such medical locations; sources are speculating that Murray administered Jackson's possibly lethal dose in the singer's home. Although approved for use in all 50 states, the potency of Propofol is considered dangerous if not used correctly.

Murray was with Michael Jackson when he died June 25 and was recently identified as the subject of a manslaughter investigation. The pop singer's personal physician has endured intense scrutiny since Jackson's death, although his lawyer has insisted that the doctor didn't prescribe or administer anything that killed Jackson.

Last week, federal Drug Enforcement Agents — working with the Houston police and Los Angeles detectives — arrived in a 15-car caravan at Murray's Armstrong Medical Clinic, acting on a search warrant. The focus of that search was Propofol, TMZ reported, and the agents were reportedly looking for "all medical records relating to Michael Jackson."

-- Larry Carroll, MTV

Omer Bhatti: I'm Not Michael Jackson's Love Child

2009-07-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson’s “secret lovechild” has declared: 'He is NOT my dad'.

Omer Bhatti has revealed how Jackson feted him as an honorary son after inviting him and his family to move in with him.

Omer, 25, from Norway, who lived with Jackson at his Neverland ranch for eight years, hails the tragic pop legend as his “best friend”.

But he says there is no biological link between him and Jackson, despite widespread rumours he is the King of Pop’s illegitimate child, fathered during an alleged fling with Omer’s mum in 1983.

Omer, who lives in Norway, has revealed Jackson always used to say that he was like a son to him and he thinks that that must be the reason for all the rumours.

Confiding in a close friend from Oslo, Omer said: “Michael is not my father. He and I were just very, very close. He was my best friend.”

Omer was a guest of honour at Jackson’s memorial event in Los Angeles two weeks ago – sitting alongside the legend’s closest relatives in the front row.

“Michael always used to say I was like a son to him,” he told the friend. “But my true parents are here in Norway. The reason I was asked to sit with his family at the memorial service is because I was Michael’s closest friend – not because I am his son.”

He also confided in a girl pal: “Michael was such a special person to me and I cannot believe he is gone, I am in total shock. I have lost weight because I cannot eat anything. All I can think about is Michael and how he died.”

Omer moved to Neverland in 1996 after Jackson had met him and his parents in Tunisia where 12-year-old Omer had been on holiday.

Jackson was so taken with Omer that he had the boy, his mother, father and sister move to LA with him immediately.

He gave Omer’s mum Pia a job as a nanny for his son Prince Michael and employed dad Huayoun as a driver. Meanwhile, another of Omer’s friends, Ricky Harlow, also reveals today how Omer’s bond with Jackson grew so strong that he shared the star’s bed – while his family stayed in a cottage in a different part of Neverland.

The sleepovers took place at a time when Jackson was still reeling from allegations that he had molested 13-year-old Jordan Chandler.

Ricky, now 25 and living in Hollywood, told the Sunday Mirror in an exclusive interview: “I never got the vibe anything inappropriate was going on.

“Omer would sleep over at Michael’s. They would hang out and watch movies and all that kind of stuff. His parents and his sister stayed in a cottage in a different part of the ranch.”

Ricky added: “Omer sleeping in Michael’s bed would not have been a big deal. It would have been innocent.”

Jackson landed himself in huge controversy when he admitted during a 2003 TV interview with British journalist Martin Bashir that he shared his bed with a young friend.

That 13-year-old boy, Gavin Arvizo, later accused the star of sexual abuse – allegations that led to the major court case which almost ruined the superstar’s career. Jackson was found innocent of all charges.

Now, it can be revealed that Omer was also at times sleeping in the same room as the Thriller star. Ricky said the sleepovers took place before the Arvizo case.

Ricky, who was at that time singing with three other teenagers in a boy band called No Authority, added: “There was a real bond between Omer and Michael.

“Michael was very protective of him and wanted to mentor him.”

Ricky moved back to Norway after Jackson was hit by financial problems in 2004.

They forced him to cut back on his massive retinue and spending.

Omer had been such a part of Jackson’s inner-circle that he appeared alongside him at his birthday bash and starred in a home video opening Christmas presents on American TV.

Omer is currently in hiding in Norway, where has been confiding in his female friend, who first met him at a small dance school just yards from his house in a run-down estate in Holmlia on the outskirts of Oslo.

The friend told the Sunday Mirror of Omer’s reaction to Jackson’s death.

“He looked so pale and thin, I have never seen him look so depressed,” he told her.

“Omer is usually the life and soul of the party, but he said he had never felt so down.

“He had told me that, although he hadn’t seen Michael for a while, he had been really looking forward to his concerts in England because he was going to go over and spend some time with him. He told me he had planned to go to all 50 shows.”

Omer’s friend also revealed that he has had a girlfriend called Feven for the last two years. Before that, he was with another girl for more than three years.

She said: “Omer told me that his girlfriend has been offering him a lot of support since Michael’s death, she has really been there for him and is helping him get through it.”

Omer’s mum Pia also confirmed how hard her son was taking the tragedy, saying: “He has been totally crushed by Michael’s death.”

Persistent rumours that Jackson had fathered Omer, following a one-night-stand with his mother in 1983, have been circulating since 2004. They appeared to have acquired new currency after the memorial service, which was beamed around the globe to an audience of millions.

And the rumours grew further still when the superstar’s brother Jermaine fuelled speculation by saying he would welcome Omer into the Jackson clan, if it were confirmed that he was Michael’s son.

There were even reports that Omer had been seeking a DNA test to try to prove he is Michael’s son.

But now Omer has spoken out categorically to deny reports in the latest chapter of the still-unravelling Jackson saga that has gripped the world.

-- will.payne@sundaymirror.co.uk

Exclusive: Tito Jackson Confirms Location of Michael Jackson's Body

2009-07-27T13:41:00.001-07:00

ET's Kevin Frazier exclusively talked to Tito Jackson, who disclosed the location of his brother's body.

"He's at Forest Lawn," Tito tells Kevin. Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries in the Hollywood Hills is where the Jackson family held a private memorial service for the King of Pop earlier this month.

Frazier was exclusively backstage at Jamaica's 17th annual Reggae Sumfest, where Tito Jackson geared up to perform with The Funk Brothers Band and accept a Lifetime Achievement Award on Michael Jackson's behalf.

Check out ET this week for the exclusive, one-on-one interview with Michael's brother, Tito, from the five-star resort Iberostar Grand Hotel Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Michael Jackson Autopsy Report Expected by End of Week

2009-07-27T13:39:00.001-07:00

Authorities tell ET when they expect to release the official cause of death for Michael Jackson.

The latest from the coroner's office is that they may have the autopsy report possibly Thursday or Friday. They expect to release their findings by the end of the week.

In other Jackson news, ET has learned that temporary administrators handling his estate have recovered millions from the late icon's former financial advisers, and they claim Jackson's estate is financially solvent.

For all the very latest keep checking back here for the latest developments in the Michael Jackson investigation.

Latest on the Custody of Michael Jackson's Children

2009-07-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson continues to make headlines after his untimely death. Today, ET special correspondent Diane Dimond, who has reported on Jakcson since 1993, brings us up-to-date with the latest in the custody case.

Who will end up with Jackson's three children -- "Prince," Paris and "Blanket"? The custody hearing has been postponed until August 3rd, but on this morning's "Today" show, Matt Lauer spoke to Katherine Jackson's attorney, who indicated that there was a possibility that a custody agreement would be in place before the scheduled hearing.

"Despite these encouraging signs, my sources tell me there has been a shake-up in the Jackson camp," Dimond says. "Grace Rwaramba, the children's long-time nanny, is no longer with the family. She returned to Europe after answering questions for the authorities. It was once thought her position as a beloved member of Michael's staff was a key factor in keeping the children with Mrs. Jackson. Now I am hearing that one of the children would not even speak to her during her recent visit."

Dimond continues, "My sources also tell me that Michael's sister, Rebbie, and her husband, Nate, are looking more and more like the primary caregivers if the three children stay with the Jacksons."

For all the latest news on the death of Michael Jackson, keep checking back here. And watch ET tonight for more of Dimond's report.

MJ wrote Billie Jean in 3mins

2009-07-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

It took Michael Jackson just three minutes to write the lyrics to No1 hit Billie Jean, according to a pal.

Dr Steven Hoefflin has claimed that the inspiration behind late King of Pop's 1983 single was a beautiful female fan he spotted outside his family home.

The singer was in a car with two of his brothers when he wrote it.

Later, Jackson sketched her in nude form and gave the pic as a gift to his cosmetic surgeon pal.
"The fastest song he ever wrote was Billie Jean," the Sun quoted Hoefflin as saying.

"He said the lyrics just tumbled out of his head in one continuous, rapid stream," he added.
In his autobiography Moon Walk , Jacko wrote: "Billie Jean is a composite of people my brothers have been plagued with."

Paramedics: Jackson Dead When We Arrived

2009-07-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

Law enforcement sources tell us when paramedics arrived at Michael Jackson's house he was already dead ... and it took them a while to even realize the victim was the famous singer.

Our sources say when paramedics got to Jackson's home he was flatlined. There was no electrical activity in his heart and Jackson showed no sign of life.

Multiple sources say paramedics wanted to pronounce Jackson dead at the scene but Dr. Conrad Murray insisted that the singer be transported to the hospital. Dr. Murray -- as a higher medical authority than the EMTs -- had the power to overrule them.

Paramedics didn't realize for nearly 10 minutes the victim was Michael Jackson. As one emergency worker put it: "It just looked like a frail, old, sickly man."

Hidden Drug Stash Found in Jackson's House

2009-07-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

Law enforcement sources tell us Dr. Conrad Murray kept a stash of drugs -- including the powerful anesthesia Propofol -- hidden in his closet at Michael Jackson's home.

Sources say when the LAPD first searched Jackson's home the night he died, they did not turn up Propofol or many of the other drugs that were in Jackson's house.

Dr. Murray talked to the LAPD the following Saturday and the information he supplied triggered another, broader search warrant. Cops returned to the house the following Monday and discovered "various drugs" secretly stashed in a closet of the guest room where Dr. Murray was staying.

Here's the amazing thing ...law enforcement sources say Dr. Murray himself told LAPD detectives about the closet when he was interviewed the Saturday after Jackson's death.

One law enforcement source says: "The drugs were concealed...they weren't obvious." Among the stash -- Propofol, the drug authorities believe killed Michael Jackson.

Omer Bhatti, rumored Michael Jackson love child, was like a son to star but not related, says pal

2009-07-25T03:41:00.000-07:00

Omer Bhatti, at the memorial service for Michael Jackson (above), was like a son to the King of Pop but was not his child, according to a friend.

The kid is not his son.

A 25-year-old Norwegian performer rumored to be Michael Jackson's love child is most likely just another one of the King of Pop's protégés, People reports.

Omer Bhatti sparked considerable interest after he was spotted in the front row at Jackson's memorial earlier this month, right in between the pop star's dad and sister. But while Bhatti has been staying at the Jackson family home in Encino, that doesn't mean he's part of the family.

Ricky Harlow, whose band was signed to Jackson's MJJ Records in 1996, and who spent weeks at Jackson's ranch as a teen, tells People he doubts the singer fathered Bhatti.

"Everyone knew [Bhatti] as 'Little Michael,' and Michael referred to him as 'Little Monkey,' " Harlow recalls. "They had a father-and-son type of connection, but I never thought he was his biological father.

"They met when Little Michael did a contest impersonating Michael Jackson in Europe in the mid-1990s, and Michael saw it and was blown away and got in contact with the family," he adds.

Bhatti reportedly spent a significant amount of time at Neverland as a kid.

"Michael cherished him," Harlow shared. "He was always like, 'Please be careful with Little Monkey. When you ride on the four wheelers, please be careful because Little Michael lives with me.' I'm a crazy driver. I actually wrecked a bunch of the four wheelers with Little Michael with me. He was having so much fun."

And Bhatti, who dressed and danced like Jackson, apparently felt the same way about the singer.

"I could tell little Michael idolized him," says Harlow. "[Omer] would say things like, 'I'm going to be a millionaire by the time I'm 20.' He was super ambitious. I remember he was very talented, and Michael would always say that."

Michael Jackson honored in Austria

2009-07-25T03:39:00.000-07:00

ZWENTENDORF, Austria — Michael Jackson was honored in Austria on Friday, a month after his death devastated fans across the world.

His brother Jermaine Jackson accepted the "2009 Save the World Award" for the King of Pop's efforts to reach out to the less fortunate and give a voice to the vulnerable.

"I'm very proud that Michael enriched the lives of so many people, not only with his music but with his immense generosity," Jackson said as he accepted the posthumous prize at a gala west of Vienna.

"Michael's message has always been 'heal the world' but he alone could never have accomplished that so it is left up to every one of us to ensure that we do."

With his two sons on stage behind him, Jackson sang "Smile" in honor of his late sibling, ending with a soft: "I love you, Michael."

The outdoor event was held at a nuclear power plant that was mothballed decades ago due to public resistance before it was ever put into operation.

Others honored during the roughly two-hour show included sprinter Carl Lewis, whose foundation supports underprivileged children, and Thomas Henningsen, climate policy coordinator at Greenpeace.

"Michael Jackson inspired all of us through his music and through his message — and that's what's going to last for years and years to come," Lewis said when he accepted his award. "We all know the wonderful things he did for so many people and it's just great that we can continue to honor that."

The gala, which took place despite driving rain, featured live performances of a slew of Jackson songs, such as "Man in the Mirror," and "Heal the World." It ended with an emotional rendition of "We Are The World."

At a news conference in the Austrian capital earlier Friday, Jermaine Jackson called his brother a "wonderful humanitarian" who considered it important to help others.

Jackson said his brother's "whole existence" was to find the good in everyone and described his passing on June 25 at age 50 as a "tragic loss."

Michael Jackson's Only Autobiography to 'Moonwalk' onto Store Shelves Again

2009-07-25T03:28:00.000-07:00

We has learned that Michael Jackson's only autobiography, Moonwalk, will be re-released this year. Read on for details…

Harmony Books has acquired the rights to Moonwalk, Jackson's only autobiography that was originally published in 1988. The book became an instant No. 1 New York Times bestseller, selling nearly 500,000 copies, according to a release from Harmony Books.

The new edition will include a new introduction by a "well known figure."

Moonwalk chronicles Jackson's life growing up, his time as one member of the Jackson 5, and his mega-success as a solo pop artist. It also unveils his writing process behind his classic pop hits, "Beat It," "Billie Jean" and "We Are the World."

The book will also delve into Jackson's personal relationships, including with his sister Janet Jackson, and celebs friends, like Diana Ross.

You can grab the new edition of Moonwalk, selling for $25, on October 13.

Jackson's Death 'Almost Certainly' a Homicide

2009-07-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

Law enforcement sources tell us the L.A. County Coroner is scheduled to release the autopsy results in Michael Jackson's death next week, and the cause of death will "almost certainly" be homicide -- death at the hands of another.

We're told the Coroner himself will make the call mid-week, after he gets the final toxicology report from an outside consultant. But based on the draft report as well as what has become "clear evidence," causes other than homicide -- natural, accidental, accidental overdose, and suicide -- have been ruled out.

We've already reported that for weeks, the LAPD has treated Jackson's death as a homicide. They have served multiple criminal search warrants -- most recently at Dr. Conrad Murray's Houston medical office. Dr. Murray is actively being investigated as the person who may have administered the powerful anesthesia Propofol to Jackson the day he died.

We're told both the Coroner and LAPD have significant evidence that Propofol caused Jackson's heart to stop.

-- STAFF, TMZ

Jackson's Time of Death in Question

2009-07-24T13:37:00.001-07:00

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Dr. Conrad Murray was not in Michael Jackson's room when his heart stopped.

As we first reported, authorities believe Jackson died from an overdose of the powerful anesthesia Propofol. Sources say the LAPD believes Dr. Murray may have administered it.

This raises an even bigger question. Dr. Murray called 911 at 12:21 PM. He says he discovered Jackson in distress a half hour before. But why, then, did Dr. Murray's employees make a sudden trip to the Dr.'s storage facility in Houston at 9:22 AM Los Angeles time? Could Jackson have been lifeless hours before the 911 call?

We're told by the storage facility manager the women who picked up 3 to 5 boxes became nervous when the manager began questioning them about why they were there.

-- STAFF, TMZ

Diane Dimond With More on Michael Jackson's Possible 'Secret Son

2009-07-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

ET special correspondent Diane Dimond has new information on Omer Bhatti, the young man who reportedly spent years by Michael Jackson's side and has been rumored to be the King of Pop's son.

Despite the rumors about 25-year-old Bhatti, Ricky Harlow, who was signed by Jackson to MJJ Records in 1996, and spent time with the two at the Neverland Ranch, says it isn't so.

"They had a father-and-son type of connection," Harlow says, "but I never thought he was his biological father. They met when Little Michael did a contest impersonating Michael Jackson in Europe in the mid-1990s."

Unconfirmed stories say that Bhatti's mother was a caregiver for "Blanket" and that his father was one of Jackson's chauffeurs, but People.com is reporting that Bhatti was a fixture in Jackson's life since he was approximately 11 years old. He was referred to as "Little Michael" and "Little Monkey" by those close to the superstar.

"Here are some little-known facts about Omer," Dimond says. "He was at Neverland during the 2003 raid and was questioned extensively by police. He was questioned again in preparation for the grand jury.

"I learned during those interviews that Omer became agitated and nervous when the officer asked him whether Michael had ever given him 'Jesus Juice' or shown him pornography."

Dimond continues, saying, "Two independent law enforcement sources have told me that they always treated Omer as a 'victim' of Michael's."

But Ricky Harlow tells People.com that he has only good memories of his time at Neverland.

-- ETONLINE

Keep checking back for all the latest on the investigation into Michael's death.

Fateful Letter From Dr. Conrad Murray Revealed

2009-07-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

We has obtained a letter from Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's former personal physician who is now being investigated for manslaughter, written to his patients last month explaining that he was leaving his medical practice indefinitely for a "once in a lifetime opportunity." Read on to see the letter.

In his June 15 letter to "patients and friends," Murray said he was seeking a "suitable replacement [doctor]" for himself, but intended to "manage the practice, and be involved as much as possible [from afar]," stating also, "please know my absence is not permanent."

Authorities raided Murray's offices on Wednesday, searching for manslaughter evidence in their investigation into the death of the King of Pop, who passed away on June 25.

Keep checking back here for the latest.

Michael Jackson called a 'wonderful humanitarian'

2009-07-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's brother says the King of Pop was a "wonderful humanitarian" who considered it important to help others.

Jermaine Jackson also says the late singer looked for the good in everyone and described his unexpected death on June 25 at age 50 as a "tragic loss."

Jackson spoke Friday at a news conference in the Austrian capital just hours before he was to attend a gala that will pay tribute to Michael Jackson's efforts to reach out to the less fortunate.

Others to be honored include sprinter Carl Lewis, whose foundation supports underprivileged children. Actress Andie MacDowell will host the event.

Michael Jackson's rumored son, Omer Bhatti, would be welcomed into family, sez brother Jermaine

2009-07-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

Omer Bhatti (far left) seen with Michael Jackson's family members at the King of Pop's memorial at the Staples Center in L.A.

Michael Jackson's rumored love child would be welcomed into the family if he is, in fact, the pop icon's son, Jackson's big brother Jermaine vows.

Speculation spiked that Omer Bhatti, a 25-year-old Norwegian rapper, was the singer's son when he was seen sitting in the front row at Jackson's memorial with the rest of the family.

He was moved there, according to the Daily Mail, by Jackson's sister Rebbie.

"My sister went and got him during the service and got him to sit closer to my mother," Jermaine said. Jackson's three kids, Prince Michael, Paris Katherine and Prince Michael II, nicknamed Blanket, sat in the same row.

"If Omer's his son, he's his son," Jermaine said. "We won't deny it. We are going to give him the same love and care that we give Prince and Paris and Blanket. I can't clearly say if he is Michael's, but I saw this kid around him."

Omer, rumored to be the result of a one-night stand Jackson had with his mom, Pia Bhatti, is reportedly seeking a DNA test to find out.

At the July 7 memorial in L.A.'s Staples Center, broadcast around the world, Bhatti can be seen in a dark suit and dark sunglasses, bowing his head in mourning, dressed much like Jackson's brothers.

Omer's Pakistani father, Riz, confirmed that Bhatti, who bears a resemblance to Jackson's youngest child, was at the memorial.

"Yeah, yeah, I know because I was watching," Riz told the London Sun. "I told my wife, ‘Just wait until the press sees this. It's not a small thing.' "

The father wouldn't directly answer whether Bhatti is Jackson's child.

"Make what you like," Riz said. "I don't want to discuss anything."

Bhatti has reportedly remained in California since Jackson's death, and has been hanging out with the superstar's three children at the family's Encino compound.

Rupert Everett Rants About Effable "Freak" Michael Jackson

2009-07-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

Whoa there, Rupert Everett.

We're not saying Michael Jackson's legacy needs to be handled with, um, kid gloves—or other, slightly more bedazzled white hand gear—but surely the man who gave us this deserves better…especially from the man who gave us this.

"He was a freak," Everett told Britain's Daily Mirror, adding, "I think it was fortuitous that he died.

"He looked like a character from Shrek. He was a black to white minstrel."

Offensive though that may sound is, it's apparently not that unattractive a notion to the actor.

"I would have leapt at the chance of sleeping with Michael Jackson when I was 14." Moving on…

While Jackson's official cause of death is still pending, Dr. Everett was kind enough to offer up his own diagnosis of what killed the star. Seriously, the man does nothing but give.

"He was crucified by that court case when he was accused of child molestation—that killed him."

Someone oughta tell the coroner.

(Requisite grain silo of salt: This is coming from the same man who called soldiers wimps, likened Hollywood to al-Qaeda and shared way, way TMI about a certain magazine editor.)

As for why, exactly, Everett thought the "living performance art" that was Jackson was better off dead, he pointed to his ill-fated series of comeback concerts.

"He was supposed to be doing 50 concerts in London. It wouldn't have mattered how good or bad he was. He wouldn't have managed to do all of them and the press would have destroyed him.

"He personified the pain and anxiety of a black man in a slave country," he went on. (Sounds like somebody's been taking notes from Papa Joe.)

"We all watched as he changed from black to white."

What's more, Everett graciously shared his theory that Jackson's death would likely signal the beginning of the end for the rest of the celebrity set. Hey, silver lining!

"It's like the last days of Versailles. I do wonder how much more bulls--t people can take about celebrities."

Indeed.

Oddly enough, the one topic on which Everett chose not to criticize Jackson was that of his penchant for plastic surgery. Guess hypocrisy has its limits.

Attorneys Seek Allowance for Michael Jackson's Children

2009-07-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's estate lawyers have reportedly asked a judge to approve an allowance for the King of Pop's three children and Jackson's mother.

Attorney Paul Gordon Hoffman tells the Associated Press that a judge will consider the requests on August 3.

The AP reports that the amount of the allowance requests is still unclear.

Keep checking for more news on the family of Michael Jackson...

Marlon Jackson Speaks Out on His Brother's Death

2009-07-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's older brother, Marlon Jackson, talks about how tough it has been since Jackson's untimely death.

"I still can't believe my brother's gone," he says in an interview with Jet magazine.

Marlon tells the magazine that prayer and his strong faith are what is getting him through.

"That's where I find my comfort because I really do feel that he's at peace now," said Marlon. "I feel in my heart that the Lord had to call Michael to come home because he had finished what he wanted him to do on planet Earth."

In addition, he says his family is "still in a state of shock" because Michael's death was unexpected.

Keep checking back for all the latest news on the death of Michael Jackson.

Home Video Sheds Insight on Jackson Family

2009-07-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

For those curious about the kind of home Michael Jackson's kids would grow up in under Katherine and Joe, some never-before-seen video of the family may be the best glimpse.

The more than 40-hours of footage -- showing Joe with several grandchildren in their Hayvenhurst home months before Michael's death -- is the only known video showcasing them living as a family.

Joe can be seen repeatedly praising the kids -- at one point even telling granddaughter Genevieve she could have a potential singing career because "You have the talent. You are a Jackson."

Joe also speaks pointedly about Michael, saying no one but the family truly knows the kind of gentle spirit he is, saying "Anybody in pain, you see tears coming from (Michael's) eyes."

The production company, Xonger Global Entertainment Network, is working with Beverly Hills talent agency APA to license the footage -- originally filmed in hopes of making a reality show.

So far, ABC is the only network to license any of the footage.

-- STAFF, TMZ

Friend: Jackson "Really Wanted to Be a Filmmaker"

2009-07-22T09:56:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson has always been known for headlining innovative music videos like Thriller. But now we're learning he also had aspirations of being a big-screen filmmaker.

Bryan Michael Stoller, a Los Angeles-based director and producer, tells E! News that his decades-long friendship with the late King of Pop was fueled by their shared love of movies and that the latter one day hoped to tap his inner Coppola.

"Michael really wanted to be a filmmaker and direct a feature film," Stoller said.

Stoller first met Michael in 1985 after he produced a spoof on his infamous Pepsi commercial. Stoller says the singer personally called him to tell him he was a fan of the video and that they bonded over their interest in films.

In later years, Jackson invited him to Neverland Ranch to give private tutoring sessions to his eldest two children, Prince and Paris.

"He'd set up a makeshift classroom, and he wanted me to mentor the kids on filmmaking," Stoller recalled. "We were talking about how animation was done, scripts, screenplays. He was totally into that."

Stoller, who is also the author of Filmmaking for Dummies, said he spent much time at Neverland Ranch and Las Vegas over the years, referring to it as "his second home." There, he taught the Jackson kids about cameras and writing for the screen.

"I would tutor them at the ranch, and the kids always had a teacher there," said Stoller, adding that he was always impressed by the intelligence of Jackson's children.

"Paris—even when she was just 4 or 5—she would just stare me down," he noted. "I said to her once, 'Paris, how old are you?' and she said, 'Four.' I said, 'When are you turning 5?' and she said, 'On my birthday, silly.'"

Jackson and Stoller also worked together, bouncing around ideas about possible film projects. Jackson even appeared in Stoller's 2004 spoof film Miss Castaway & The Island Girls as "Agent M.J."

At one point, they discussed a remake of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Eventually, however, they decided to option and adapt a book called They Cage the Animals at Night, about an abandoned and abused foster boy. (One of Jackson's favorite films was Oliver, and many have drawn comparisons between the two stories.)

Stoller said they teamed with Icon Productions—Mel Gibson's company—to finance the film, with Michael set to direct. That deal was widely reported on in 2002, but when Jackson's 2005 trial happened, the film fell apart.

Stoller also remarked that he never saw the Moonwalker use drugs and was skeptical about some of the people who have stepped forward to say otherwise.

"A lot of these people—I never saw them," Stoller said. "I never saw anything that would lead me to believe he did [drugs]. He did have back problems and he complained about his back. I even recommended he get a memory-foam mattress, which he did, and I think it helped."

It was about two months ago, when Jackson was preparing for his highly anticipated O2 concert series, that Stoller last saw his friend.

"It was a little shocking, because he was so frail," Stoller said. "I think he was excited about [the concerts]—but I know he was concerned. He initially thought there would just be 10 shows."

Stoller said he's considered trying to revive the They Cage the Animals at Night project in Jackson's memory.

Both Jackson Autopsies Turned Up Needle Marks

2009-07-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Remember how Michael Jackson's family commissioned a second autopsy on the fallen King of Pop's body?

Well, E! News has exclusively learned that those results are in—and they are not any different from what was found when the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office did its thing.

A source close to the investigation into Jackson's death tells E! News that the private pathologist's findings are "consistent" with the county coroner's, which a coroner's source says turned up potentially lethal amounts of propofol in the singer's system. As previously reported, both autopsies found needle marks on Jackson's body.

Propofol, a potent anesthetic administered via IV that leaves people in a largely comatose state, has become the controversial drug du jour since it was discovered in Jackson's Holmby Hills mansion.

Federal regulators are considering adding the drug to their official list of controlled substances, which would require hospitals to account for every drop used.

County officials have confirmed that Jackson was taking prescription medications when he died, but they aren't expected to make public their full report until at least next week because of the ongoing, possibly criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Jackson's untimely demise.

The private autopsy was performed June 27, two days after Jackson died and the day following the coroner's examination of the body.

-- EONLINE

Federal Authorities Search the Office Of Jackson's Doctor

2009-07-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Houston office of Dr.Conrad Murray, the physician who found Michael Jackson on the day he died, is being searched.

According to KTRK-TV, DEA agents, Los Angeles detectives and local Houston police officers swarmed inside the Armstrong Medical Clinic, where Murray's office is located, earlier this morning.

Authorities tell the local ABC station that the warrant for the search was based on preliminary results of the autopsy that was given to them, which indicates the late superstar's death was tied to the drug Propofol.

Keep checking back here for the latest on this developing story.

Rep: Michael Jackson's Doc 'should not be a target of criminal charges'

2009-07-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

Investigators have requested a third interview with Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician who found Michael Jackson unresponsive in his home -- while his attorney tells ET he "should not be a target of criminal charges."

As authorities work to determine Jackson's cause of death, they are seeking more information from the doctor, as well as medical records in addition to those he has already provided.

"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death, we share that goal," Ed Chernoff, Dr. Murray's attorney, tells ET.

"We don't have access to the most important information in this case… the toxicology report. We're still in the dark like everybody else. Based on Dr. Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges. Dr. Murray was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him. Dr. Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports, he has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard. He can't operate his practice. He can't go to work because he is harassed no matter where he goes."

Jackson Film to Sony for $60 Mil; Halloween Release Set

2009-07-22T03:27:00.000-07:00

Sony Pictures is in final negotiations to acquire the film that will be made out of Michael Jackson’s rehearsals for his “This Is It” concert tour. The price: $60 million, above initial projections reported elsewhere.

Sony and AEG Live have set the release date for Halloween week: Friday, Oct. 30.

And to give credit where it’s due, my friends at Hitsdailydouble.com are correct in saying that the split on the money is 90% to the Jackson estate and 10% to AEG Live. The Jackson estate means Michael’s kids and his mother and the eventual charity that will be formed in Michael’s name.

I am told, as I reported earlier, that the hoped for Aug. 29 show in London seems to be dead. NBC wasn’t the only network not interested. And the reason? Joseph Jackson shopped his own special to the networks, which confused everything, sources say. “He didn’t even tell Janet that she was supposed to be part of it.”

And the beat goes on…

Joe Jackson: I'm "Not Encouraging" Michael's Kids to Be Entertainers

2009-07-22T03:16:00.000-07:00

Despite earlier comments to ABC News that Michael Jackson's kids could be stars, Joe Jackson now says has no plans to turn them into entertainers.

"I'm not encouraging them to do nothing. They have to be what they are, kids at the moment," he said on Monday's Larry King Live

He said the "Jackson Three" rumors are "a bunch of jive."

He also denied ever abusing his late son, who died June 25 at age 50 after suffering cardiac arrest, despite previous accusations from the King of Pop himself.

"I never abused my son," Joe insisted. "Michael was never beaten."

Joe revealed that he didn't know the location of his son's body.

He also said that although he hasn't seen any results from the family's private autopsy, he still suspects "foul play" in his son's death.

Speaking of the singer's private physician Dr. Conrad Murray, Joe said: "The doctor gave him something to make him rest and he don't wake up no more. Something is wrong."

Sony Bids for Documentary on Michael Jackson's Final Days

2009-07-21T04:21:00.001-07:00

If indeed this is it, these guys are gonna make a fortune.

Sony Pictures is negotiating to pony up a whopping $50 million to concert promoter AEG Live to release a feature-film documentary chronicling Michael Jackson's final days.

Kenny Ortega, the acclaimed director and choreographer behind the High School Musical flicks who was mounting the King of Pop's "This Is It" megaresidency set for London's O2 Arena before the latter's sudden death, is said to be hard at work cutting the behind-the-scenes together.

But the good news for AEG is that with O2 gigs now scuttled, Ortega now has plenty of time to edit the highly anticipated concert film before he beats it to work on a big-screen redo of Footloose.

An insider privy to the confidential negotiations tells E! News that talks are ongoing but stressed that Sony is up against several rival studios—including Universal, Fox, Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures—also bidding for distribution rights. A winner could be announced as early as this week.

However, it seems likely Sony will have a leg up, particularly given sister company, Sony Music Entertainment, put out all six of Jackson's solo albums, including top sellers Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory, through its Epic label. It also co-owns the Beatles catalog with the singer's ATV Publishing.

Sources tell Variety the movie will feature a number of performances from more than 80 hours of footage AEG and the helmer shot of Jackson's rehearsals in addition to at least three videos Jackson completed that was going to run as interstitials during the concerts which were scheduled to kick off July 13. It's unclear whether those segments, including an alternate version of the Moonwalker's now classic Thriller video, will play in 3-D in theaters as its creators envisioned for the London productions.

The promoter will no doubt rake in big bucks from sales of TV and video rights not only from the documentary but also a tribute concert it's purportedly organizing at the O2 for what would have been Jackson's 51st birthday Aug. 29. AEG is seeking a number of high-profile artists to perform one song each from Michael's set list, accompanied by the dancers and musicians who rehearsed with Jackson.

No confirmation yet on who's slated to take part, though early word is that the music legend's surviving brothers in the Jackson 5, Jermaine, Marlon, Tito and Randy, will reunite. Also said to be on board is Justin Timberlake, who previously performed with Jackson at his 30th anniversary solo show at New York's Madison Square Garden in 2001.

Joe Jackson Suggests 'Foul Play' on Son Michael Jackson's Death

2009-07-21T04:15:00.000-07:00

Joe Jackson spoke candidly about why he thinks his son Michael Jackson died under suspicious circumstances on "Larry King Live" Monday night.

"I'm thinking that there's foul play," the 79-year-old Jackson patriarch told King. "There wasn't just only drugs; there was something else behind that. … This doctor [that was with Michael right before he died], he ran away. They had to look for him three days to find him. To me that's foul play."

Leonard Rowe, a music promoter and longtime friend of the Jacksons for over 30 years, agreed with Joe, adding that London concert promoters AEG were "controlling Michael's life," and, "Foul play will have to be determined with an investigation, but what we're saying is that there was a lot of suspicious activity that was occurring around Michael Jackson."

Both Joe and Leonard claimed that they were being prevented from becoming involved with Michael Jackson's life and business affairs. "They cut me off," said Joe.

"If they could keep people from around Michael Jackson that were trying to look after his well being, they could reach their goal of stripping Michael," said Leonard. "Michael was being controlled." He added that although AEG sold tickets to a planned 50 concert performances, "[Michael] didn't approve 50. He only approved 10."

Joe and Leonard agreed that the infamous 1984 Pepsi commercial accident in which Michael's scalp was burned may have been the gateway to Michael's alleged addiction to painkillers and prescription drugs. "It took a long time for that thing to heal," said Joe, "so it had to have some damage for him, of course."

Leonard also questioned why AEG had a doctor tending to Michael if the company claimed he was healthy enough to perform the concerts: "Michael Jackson was addicted. Would you put a cocaine seller with a cocaine addict?" asked Leonard.

On dealing with Michael's death, Joe said, "I took it very hard. …This is not just me. This is hard for the whole family and the world." As for Michael's mother, Joe says, "Katherine is taking it very, very hard. She's really taking it harder than I've seen her take anything."

Joe also fended off accusations that he abused his Michael and his other children, saying, "I never abused my son. … There's a lot of people in America [that] spank their kids. If they say they don't, they're lying. But Michael was never abused."

Michael Jackson's final burial place is still not decided, Neverland is still an option

2009-07-21T04:11:00.000-07:00

It may be hard to believe, but it's has been almost a month since Michael Jackson died. Jackson's body has yet to be buried in a final resting place. The Jackson family still has not come to an agreement on where the burial should take place. Jermaine Jackson made it clear in several interviews that he wanted Michael to be buried at Neverland Ranch.

Michael's mother, Katherine Jackson had been very opposed to Neverland even being considered. A source close to Katherine told People "Katherine doesn't want him at Neverland," also "She thinks it's a place of horrible memories. She says Michael wouldn't want to be there. Part of the family disagrees with her. But Katherine definitely wants to keep Michael's wishes that he not rest at Neverland."

It seems that Katherine Jackson may slowly be changing her mind about a Neverland burial. According to a new People report, "Katherine is still opposed to Michael being buried at Neverland, but would relent if it could be arranged for Michael's children to gain ownership of the property," also "If they could have complete ownership, Katherine would approve."

If Michael Jackson body is going to be buried at Neverland Ranch there are a few legal issues in the way. A residential exemption is required for a burial on private property. Most residents of Santa Barbara County, where the ranch is located, absolutely do not want Neverland to turn into a Graceland. The residents will do whatever is in their power to make sure Jackson is never buried at Neverland.

The Neverland Ranch address: 5225 Figueroa Mountain Road, Los Olivos, CA 93441.

Michael Jackson's Final Rehearsals to Be Feature Film

2009-07-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Last week AEG Entertainment leaked rehearsal footage of Michael Jackson's "This is It" tour, and now Sony Pictures is working on a deal with the entertainment company to use the footage in a feature film.

Sony Pictures is negotiating with AEG Entertainment to obtain the rights to 80 hours of rehearsal footage film for Jackson's London tour, Variety reports.

'High School Musical' director Kenny Ortega shot the rehearsal footage, and is expected to direct the film which will include three videos along with an alternative version of "Thriller."

According to the trade paper, AEG is also selling the rights to the August 29 tribute concert. Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, and other stars are slated to perform the songs that the King of Pop had planned to sing.

Soon, charges against MJ’s ‘murderers’

2009-07-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Police investigating Michael Jackson’s death have reportedly informed his family that few people would soon be charged for playing a role in his sudden demise.

The doctors or anyone else, who injected overdose of heavy-duty painkiller, Diprivan that killed the late singer, will be booked and have to face a criminal trial.

"The authorities have told the family the Drug Enforcement Administration are pushing for a criminal charge,” the News of the World quoted Terry Harvey, a long-time friend of the Jackson family, as saying.

He said: "It is likely to be second-degree murder, due to the actions which led to his death. They have been assured that someone, or maybe more than one person, will be brought to trial.

"The family are working with the DEA and Los Angeles Police Department to work out which doctor prescribed Michael these drugs and how far back this serious problem runs."

Harvey also revealed that the Jacksons were planning to sue AEG the promoters of the King of Pop’s O2 concerts in London.

He added: "The family is speaking about whether there is enough evidence to take a private lawsuit against the promoters or the doctors involved.

"Once the criminal charges are announced, the family will file for a wrongful death lawsuit.

"Joe Jackson has made no secret of his efforts to step in to get Michael to rehab while he prepared for his London shows. The question is how much did the concert organisers know about his drug problems and who was feeding him the drugs?

"I can see Joe filing a lawsuit against anyone who is found to have caused fatal harm to his beloved son.

"He and the rest of the family are serious about getting to the bottom of his son’s death and insists it’s foul play. It’s no secret that AEG appointed a doctor to look after Michael’s welfare."

However, the organizers of Michael’s comeback concert have reportedly insisted that they did everything possible and he was fit, healthy and in "great shape" during his rehearsals.

Elizabeth Taylor tweets about sadness of losing Jackson

2009-07-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Elizabeth Taylor checked out of a Los Angeles hospital "sore, but intact," the actress said in an online message posted Friday evening.

Taylor, 77, used her Twitter handle, @DameElizabeth, to tell fans that she was home, just as she did last week to announce she would go into a hospital to "to complete a test I was in the middle of."

Her publicist this week denied tabloid rumors that her hospitalization was brought on by her grief over the sudden death of her close friend Michael Jackson in June.

Taylor, in her latest tweets, addressed her sadness over Jackson's death:

"I'm home from the hospital sore, but intact. Of course I'm still grieving for Michael ... I always will."

"But as I said before I went into the hospital, 'I am a survivor,'" Taylor tweeted.

"I've had many tragedies in my life, but I guess they have all taught me something. I have to look at it that way."

"I have to be stronger and more appreciative of what I do have."

"I give love and I'm surrounded by love ... and I thank God for that."

Twitter is a social networking site that allows users to update what they are doing using 140 characters or less.

Taylor regularly posts short messages to her 116,000 Twitter followers through the account she opened earlier this year at the suggestion of her close friend, author and actress Kathy Ireland, publicist Dick Guttman said.

She posted emotional messages earlier this month to counter rumors about how she was dealing with the news of Jackson's death.

"Although my grief over Michael could not be any deeper, I am not on suicide watch as some of the cheaper 'rags' would have you believe," Taylor tweeted July 5.

A New York Post column published Tuesday quoted an unidentified source saying she was hospitalized because the "heart's gone out of her" after Jackson's death.

Taylor, who uses a wheelchair because of scoliosis, or abnormal curving of the spine, gave fans several days advance notice of her hospitalization.

"I wanted you my friends to know that I'm going into the hospital Wednesday or Thursday to complete a test I was in the middle of," she wrote.

Taylor said she declined an invitation to speak about Jackson at his public memorial because she "cannot be part of the public hoopla."

"I just don't believe that Michael would want me to share my grief with millions of others," Taylor tweeted. "How I feel is between us. Not a public event."

"I certainly don't want to become a part of it," she said. "I love him too much. ... And I cannot guarantee that I would be coherent to say a word."

-- Alan Duke, CNN

Director -- Jackson's Burns Weren't My Fault

2009-07-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

The director of the 1984 Pepsi commercial in which Michael Jackson's hair caught on fire is slamming the people who claim it was all his fault.

Director Bob Giraldi claims he had no idea putting Michael directly underneath the sparks was dangerous. Giraldi says fire officials like Captain Don Donester -- who blamed Bob for the incident on Thursday -- should have warned him.

Giraldi said there were never supposed to be sparks in the first place, claiming the fireworks simply malfunctioned.

-- STAFF, TMZ

Jackson Custody Hearing Pushed Back, Again

2009-07-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

Looks like Debbie Rowe and Katherine Jackson's lawyers are doing everything in their power to keep their clients from having to share a courtroom.

A custody hearing related to the care of Michael Jackson's three children has been postponed yet again, this time to Aug. 3. His mother will remain the kids' temporary guardian in the meantime.

When announcing that there wouldn't be a court date this past Monday, either, Katherine's attorney, L. Londell McMillan, said they and Rowe's camp were hoping the extra time would allow them "to privately and amicably resolve this most important matter in a dignified manner for the benefit of the children first and all involved."

Rowe's side has remained mum—except to deny stories that the mother of Jackson's two eldest kids had settled for another big, fat payday in exchange for any custodial rights—but the repeated docket-ducking has prompted all sorts of speculation as to just what an amicable resolution in this case might entail.

Amid reports that the two sides are nearing a resolution...here's hoping it harbors aspects of amicability when it arrives.

Also scheduled for Aug. 3 is a hearing on the King of Pop's estate, which he left under the executorship of attorney John Branca and music exec John McClain in a 2002 will.

A judge shot down Katherine's attempt to continue on as a special administrator last week.

-- Natalie Finn, Eonline

Pepsi Slams Release of Jackson's Fiery Ad

2009-07-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

The choice of a new generation is...voyeurism?

In the wake of footage surfacing online showing the filming of the infamous 1984 Pepsi commercial in which Michael Jackson's hair caught fire, the bottling company released a statement wondering aloud what the fascination about it is other than morbid curiosity.

"We don't know how the footage became available. Twenty-five years later, we’d question why anyone would want to share such frightening images. It was a terrifying event that we'll never forget," spokeswoman Nicole Bradley said.

And undoubtedly akin to something out of his Thriller video.

In the video promoting the soft drink, Jackson performs a retooled version of "Billy Jean" before 3,000 screaming fans (among the extras were comedians Kathy Griffin and Jon Lovitz—before they were famous) at L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium.

But on the sixth take, as Jackson struts down a staircase onto a stage, the background fireworks explode early. The singer starts making his way down the steps, but doesn't realize his hair has suddenly caught fire until he reaches the bottom and goes into his spin. Only then did he touch his head and realize his scalp was burning.

Stagehands gathered around Jackson and quickly doused the flames. But the Moonwalker was taken to a hospital with second- and third-degree burns on his head and face, an injury that required skin grafts.

It's now being speculated that the incident may have led to his dependence on prescription pain medication, an addiction he allegedly battled for the rest of his life. Pepsi later aired a version of the ad without the hair-raising moment and paid Jackson $1.4 million for his pain and suffering, but the music legend ended up donating the money to a burn victim center.

Since Jackson's fiery performance bubbled up over the Internet and cable news two days ago, Pepsi initially declined to catch the wave and comment on it. But the company chose to speak out now not only to criticize the release of such imagery (and incidentally the public's grotesque obsession with it), but also to pay tribute to the late King of Pop, with whom it had the good fortune of working during his 1980s peak.

"We were grateful for Michael's recovery and for the chance to continue working with him on a number of successful projects," Bradley added. "As for Michael as an artist, his music helped us define a generation and, like everyone else, we’re deeply saddened by his passing."

The rep also said Pepsi has no intention of pursuing legal action to stop the burn footage from airing and, in fact, isn't even sure who owns the rights.

Jackson Autopsy Report Delayed

2009-07-17T10:35:00.001-07:00

The L.A. County Coroner's office needs another two weeks before it releases the Michael Jackson autopsy report.

Sources tell us the reason for the delay is that several outside consultants have not finished their reports.

As we have already reported, some of the tests are already in and from all indications the drug Propofol will ultimately be listed as the primary cause of Michael Jackson's death. But the Coroner does not release partial results.

-- STAFF, TMZ

Exclusive: Michael Jackson's Unreleased Song

2009-07-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

We've just obtained the track for an unreleased song Michael Jackson recorded.

The song -- "A Place with No Name" -- sounds similar to the song "A Horse with No Name" released by the group America back in 1971. We're told several years ago America's manager gave his group's permission for Jackson to record the song, "A Place with No Name" -- despite the similarity.

America's current manager, Jim Morey, who was also Michael's manager in the late 80's and early 90's, tells us, "The band was honored that Michael chose to do their song and they hope it becomes available for all Michael's fans to hear."

It's unclear when Michael recorded the song.

-- STAFF, TMZ

MJ - The Missing Tapes

2009-07-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

Police searching from missing CCTV from the day he died

Los Angeles police investigating the death of MICHAEL JACKSON are desperately searching for lost surveillance footage taken from the King of Pop's Hollywood home that could solve the mystery surrounding the final moments of his life.

The pop superstar suffered a cardiac arrest in one of the bedrooms in his rented Holmby Hills mansion on 25 June, and was found unconscious by members of his staff, including personal medic Dr. Conrad Murray.

Authorities seized vials of prescription drugs from Jackson's property immediately after his tragic passing as they searched for clues as to the cause of his death.

But detectives are reportedly missing the CCTV footage of that fateful morning - which they hope will prove to be a crucial piece of evidence in unravelling the timeline of events that led up to Jackson's passing.

A source tells the National Enquirer, "It was a very sophisticated and high-tech surveillance and security system. Not only were there cameras outside the house, but there were cameras inside as well - in private locations.

"Insiders close to the investigation say Michael's death - possibly his murder - was captured on camera, but the video has not been recovered. There are also gaps in some security camera footage stored on computer hard drives. Police are combing through personal computers recovered from the house."

On Wednesday, a police spokesperson dismissed reports the Jackson investigation had turned into a homicide case following claims on an online blog.